Lemon Velvet Cake
A moist and tender Lemon Velvet Cake with a lemony buttercream frosting, ideal for lemon lovers.
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- 9 inch round cake pans
- parchment paper
- Whisk
- wire racks
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sifted all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- zest of two small or one large lemons grated and finely chopped
For the Frosting
- 4 cups icing sugar powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest optional
- 2 tablespoons milk approximately
Instructions
Cake Preparation
- Grease and flour 2 nine inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the vegetable oil, shortening, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy.
- Beat the eggs in one at a time.
- Fold in the lemon zest.
- Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
- Add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter.
- As soon as the batter has no lumps, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Frosting Preparation
- Mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest, and butter until it becomes sort of crumbly.
- Add the lemon extract and a little of the milk.
- Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the frosting to a creamy spreadable consistency.
- Fill and frost the cake. Garnish with candied lemon zest if desired.
Candied Lemon Zest Preparation
- Remove the zest with a sharp vegetable peeler in long strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible.
- Bring one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a slow boil.
- Add the pieces of lemon zest and boil for about 15 minutes. Drain the lemon zest on a wire rack.
- When cool, cut them in strips and roll in fine sugar.
Notes
Previous versions of this recipe have included twice the amount of frosting. Halving it provides enough frosting for the middle and top, as many people prefer. Adjust according to personal preference.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 200mgSugar: 30gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
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