Lemon Layer Cake With Curd And Blueberries Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated, then add the vanilla and almond extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk; beat until just smooth, 2 minutes.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and sprinkle each with 1 cup blueberries. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans on a rack, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; set aside. Beat the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in the lemon curd, leaving some yellow streaks. Spread the cream mixture over 1 layer of cake almost to the edge. Place the second cake layer on top and gently press; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Before serving, whisk the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar with the lemon juice in a medium bowl until it forms a smooth glaze. (Add 1 or 2 drops of water if it's too thick.) Pour the glaze over the center of the cake and spread with a spatula or spoon to the edge, allowing some to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Coat two 8-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. Spray parchment; set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, the milk, oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside.
• Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the egg white mixture. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out cakes onto rack. Remove parchment; reinvert. Let cool completely.
• Make the lemon curd: Put egg yolks into a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. Whisk together lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups water and the lemon juice; whisk until sugar and cornstarch have dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; gradually whisk one-third of the lemon mixture into the reserved egg yolks. Pour mixture into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 1/2 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl; place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until firm and cold, at least 1 hour (up to 1 day).
• Fold blueberries into curd; set aside. Trim top and bottom of one cake to be flat. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Set untrimmed bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup curd. Repeat with trimmed halves for second and third layers. Top with untrimmed top layer. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Beat sugar and butter for curd in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and yolks slowly until well combined. Beat for 1 minute more; stir in lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled; do not panic.
• Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat until it becomes smooth, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly without letting it boil, until it thickens enough to leave a path on the back of a spoon when you drag a finger through it and reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest.
• Let cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes. Press plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the refrigerator.
• While filling cools, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Pulse 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest together in a food processor until well combined.
• Beat butter and lemon sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Beat in 1/4 of the milk until just blended. Add flour mixture alternately with remaining milk on low speed in 3 batches, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed; beat until just blended.
• Beat egg whites in another bowl on medium speed just until foamy. Add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold in. Continue to gently fold in egg whites, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Divide batter between the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Flip right side-up and let cool on a wire rack, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Cut cooled layers in half and layer with curd.
• Beat butter and lemon zest for frosting in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and beat. Add lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Frost the assembled cake as desired.