Lemon Cake

A Lovely Lemon Cake for all seasons

The intense lemon flavor is just perfect for spring. It is in fact a Triple Lemon Layer Cake because it features lemon cake, lemon curd between the layers of cake and a lemon buttercream outer frosting. Garnish with long twists of lemon zest and silver dressage for a very elegant finish. This beautiful baked creation is a perfect focal point for your specials occasions anytime.

Triple Lemon Layer Cake

Preparation time: 45 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 1/3 cups cake flour; more for the pans
• 2 ¾ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
• ¾ cup butter, completely softened at room temperature; more for the pans
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ tsp. cream of tartar

For the frosting:

• 1 cup butter, completely softened
• 2 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 3 ½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

For the filling:

• 1 recipe lemon curd (refer to the recipe below)

Instructions for cooking:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven; heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Generously butter and flour two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans. (We like to use Baker’s Joy spray to be sure that every bit of the pan is evenly covered.)
3. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
4. Pulse 1/4 cup of the sugar with the zest in a food processor until well combined.
5. In a large bowl, beat the butter and lemon sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-1/2 minutes. (This step is important so be sure to give it at least a full minute, you want fluffy butter for a fluffy cake!)
6. Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar and beat until smooth (about 1-1/2 minutes). Beat in a quarter of the milk just until blended.
7. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in three batches, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; beat just until blended.
8. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed just until foamy. (When beating egg whites it is important that not a drop of fat – yolk, butter, etc., makes contact with the whites or they will not inflate!)
9. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, and beat just until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted.
10. Add a quarter of the whites to the batter and gently fold them in with a whisk or a rubber spatula (you are doing this to lighten the batter mixture so that the rest of the fluffy egg whites can combine with it without being crushed); continue to gently fold in the whites, a quarter at a time, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
11. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with the spatula. Bake until a pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes.
12. Run a table knife around the inside of the pans and carefully invert each cake out onto the rack. Flip them right side up and let cool completely.
13. While the cake is cooling, make the lemon buttercream icing. Whip the butter and lemon zest in an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, then gradually add the sifted powdered sugar. When the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the lemon juice.
14. Now, make four layers out of your two cakes. It’s important that they are completely cool before you do this. With the palm of one hand pressed on top of a cake layer, cut each in half horizontally, using a long serrated knife. (Just take your time doing this, inspecting both the front and back of the cake as you go to be sure that the knife is going in and out evenly. Keeping pressure on top with your hand is key, and also using a thin knife like a ham knife.)
15. Put one of the four cake layers on a serving plate, cut side up. With an offset spatula or a table knife, spread a generous 1/3 cup chilled lemon curd on top of the cake layer. Lay another cake layer on top, spread it with another generous 1/3 cup lemon curd, and repeat with the third cake layer, using the last 1/3 cup lemon curd. Top with the fourth cake layer.
16. Spread lemon buttercream icing all over the outside of the cake. Decorate or garnish as you like.

________________

Here is Fine Cooking’s recipe for Lemon Curd Cake Filling:

Lemon Curd Cake Filling

 

Photo: Scott Phillips

 

Yields about 1-1/4 cups.

Ingredients:

• lemons
• egg yolks
• granulated sugar
• butter
• table salt

• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbs. lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch salt
• 6 large egg yolks

Procedure:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt.
3. Whisk in the yolks until smooth.
4. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. To check if the curd is thick enough, dip a wooden spoon into it and draw a your finger across the the back of the spoon; your finger should leave a path.
6. Don't let the mixture boil. Immediately force the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula.
7. Let cool at room temperature, whisking occasionally.
8. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Size : per Tbs., Calories (kcal): 90, Fat (kcal): 6, Fat Calories (g): 50, Saturated Fat (g): 3, Protein (g): 1, Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2, Carbohydrates (mg): 8, Polyunsaturated Fat (mg): 0, Sodium (g): 15, Cholesterol (g): 75, Fiber (g): 0,

_____________________

Recipe source for the Lemon Curd filling .

This cake is lovely garnished with long curls of lemon zest and silver draggees, or with well-washed edible flowers such as snapdragons, violets or johnny-jump-ups.

NOTE:

MAKE AHEAD: This cake can be made ahead and stored chilled  for up to two days. It is also nice to bake the cakes and make the lemon curd the day before, tightly wrap and chill them, and then the morning of your event you can make the icing and assemble the cake. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

*Recipe Source :  Three Layered Lemon Cake

UBE SWISS ROLL CAKE

Ube Swiss Roll Cake

Ingredients:

 

For the base:

1/4 cup (33 grams) whole wheat pastry flour

2-1/2 tbsp cornstarch

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar + 1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

icing sugar for dusting

Instructions for making the base:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Using a half-sheet pan (17-1/4 x 12-1/4) coat with non stick spray then place a baking liner paper on the pan. Spray with baking spray and a bit of flour.
3. Separate 2 eggs, and place the yolks in a mixer stand bowl and the whites in another bowl and set aside.
4. To the yolks add the two whole eggs, 1/2 c sugar and one more egg yolk. Beat this at high speed for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and mix in at medium speed. 
5. You need the mixing bowl again so place the yolk mixture into another bowl. Clean the original mixer bowl really well as any fat left in the bowl will affect the beating of the egg whites.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and the cornstarch.
7. Sift half the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture. Fold it in very gently. Repeat with the remaining half of the flour.
8. In the large, cleaned stand mixer bowl add the egg whites. Using the whisk attachment beat the whites on medium speed until they are foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites form soft peaks. Add 1 tbsp sugar and beat until stiff peaks form when whisk attachment is lifted. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture. 
9. Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula. 
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.
11. Immediately loosen the sides of the cake from the sides of the pan. Gently slide the liner and cake out of the pan and on to a work surface. Sift the icing sugar over the cake. While hot, roll the cake from the short end making sure you include the liner as you roll. 
12. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool for 45 minutes.

Purple Yam Mixture For Filling:

• 1-1/2 cups purple sweet potatoes, peeled cut and half cooked
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 c whipping cream

>Instructions Using food processor with the steel blade attached, add all the ingredients. Process until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Putting it all together:

1. Unroll the cake and carefully detach the cake form the liner and them lay it back on the liner again.
2. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly over the cake leaving 1/2 inch of no icing on one short end. Starting at the other end, tightly and firmly roll the cake. Place on a serving plate with seam side down. Refrigerate or freeze for at least an hour before serving.

 

 Recipe source: UBE SWISS ROLL CAKE

UBE OR PURPLE YAM CHIFFON CAKE

UBE OR PURPLE YAM CHIFFON CAKE

Ingredients:

For the chiffon Cake

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp of ube flavourings
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup milk
• 8 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5-7 drops of purple food coloring (optional)
• 1/2 cup Ube (purple yam, fresh ube or ube jam) if you use ube jam just decrease the sugar a little bit)

For the meringue

• 8 egg whites
• 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1 tsp of cream of tartar

For the Icing; you can used any you prefer to

• whip cream or cream cheese Icing or swiss meringue icing

How to Prepare:

Preheat the oven at 170 Degrees C.

1. First combine the dry ingredients: the cake flour, baking powder and salt, just mix it or sift and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients: the ube flavoring, milk and oil, mix them together and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks and gradually add in the sugar and continue to beat till the egg yolk is pale in color and light, add the purple or ube and just continue beating until well combined, then add the flour mixture and use a folding method to mix and gradually add the wet ingredients and continue mixing them together using the cut and folding method. 
4. Add the food coloring for a cake to have vibrant color.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and add 1 tsp of cream of tartar and gradually add ¾ cups of sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy peaks formed. You should be able to hold your bowl upside down without the egg whites falling out.
6. Then take about half of the meringue mixture and fold it into the batter. Use a spatula and keep stirring until no egg white streaks remain.Then add in the remaining meringue and fold until no streaks remain.
7. Pour the batter into the ungreased pan and bake this for 35-40 minutes until the cake’s surface is golden brown. When you touch the cake it should spring back.
8. Remove from the oven and revert the cake pan upside down to finish cooling and rising. Put a plate underneath in case it falls out.

 Serve and Enjoy!

See more at http://snappymindz.com/ube-or-purple-yam-chiffon-cake-recipe-that-looks-so-pretty-and-delicious/

UBE ROLL CAKE

UBE ROLL CAKE

For the chiffon cake:

Ingredients:

{A}

1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

{B}

4 egg yolks
1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
1/3 cup milk
50 grams grated purple yam
1/2 teaspoon ube flavouring
1/4 teaspoon violet gel paste or food powder

{C}

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}

3/8 cup sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a 10"x15"x1" or 11"x16"x1" jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with a little oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan then spread evenly to the sides. Bang pan on the counter a few times to dislodge air bubbles.

4. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

5. Cover the top of the pan with a new piece of parchment paper then invert onto a wire rack. Unmould the cake then immediately peel off the parchment paper from the bottom.

6. Cover the cake with another piece of parchment paper. Leave to cool just until it is no longer warm to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.

While waiting for the cake to cool down, prepare your whipped cream filling. You can make half the stable whipped cream recipe here or if you want something simpler, you can just use this.

Whipped cream filling:

1 1/4 cups thickened or whipping cream, very cold
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Combine ingredients in a cold mixing bowl. Beat until stiff.

To assemble cake:

**It is best to assemble the cake as soon as it is no longer warm. The longer the cake sits, the drier it will become and will most likely crack when rolled.

Carefully flip the cake over.

Spread about 3/4 of the whipped cream filling evenly on the cake, leaving about an inch space at the top.

Starting from the side nearest you and using the parchment paper as a guide, gently roll the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to allow it to firm up a bit and make it easier to handle. Chill the remaining whipped cream as well.

Unwrap the parchment paper then trim about an inch off the two ends. Transfer cake to a serving tray.

Fill a small piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the remaining whipped cream then pipe out rosettes along the top of the cake roll. Top each rosette with a macapuno ball, if desired.

Keep the cake covered to retain its soft and moist state. Serve chilled to enjoy it at its best!

See more at http://pinoyinoz.blogspot.com/2014/12/ube-cake-roll.html

UBE MACAPUNO CAKE

UBE MACAPUNO CAKE

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ube (purple yam), cooked and finely grated
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 7 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 7 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 6 drops red food color
• 6 drops blue food coloring
• 1 (12 ounce) jar macapuno (coconut preserves)
• 1 cup evaporated milk, chilled
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 drop natural violet food coloring

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line bottoms of 3 – 9 inch pans with parchment paper, but do not grease. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 

Place grated ube in a large bowl. Mix together 3/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla; gradually blend into ube until smooth. Blend in corn syrup, egg yolks, and oil. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; set aside.  

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, then red and blue food coloring, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center of cake bounces back when lightly tapped. Invert pans on a wire rack and let cool upside down. When cool, run a knife around the edges to loosen cake from pans. Fill between layers with coconut preserves, then frost top and sides with butter icing. 

To make Butter Icing: Combine evaporated milk and 3/4 cup sugar. set aside. Cream butter until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar mixture, and continue beating to desired spreading consistency. Add natural food color, one drop at a time until desired tint is achieved.

See more at http://www.panlasangpinoyrecipes.com/ube-macapuno-cake-recipe/

************************************************ 

************************************************

 Ube Macapuno Cake 

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup ube powder (unsweetened)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 4 tsp ube flavor

For the Frosting:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tsp ube flavor
• 1/3 cup macapuno

Instructions for the cooking:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

2. Sift together all the dry ingredients, flour, ube powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, Team Dry Ingredients. Set aside.

3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs one at a time.

4. Mix together the yogurt, milk and ube flavor, Team Wet Ingredients.

5. Add in one third of the dry ingredients and then add in one half of the wet ingredients.

6. Repeat step 5 untill all our combined. Just barely mix, until you cannot see streaks of flour in the batter.

7. Pour into two lined 6-inch pans and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. Make sure to tap the pans used to release air bubbles before baking. Let it cool.

8. To make the frosting, mix together butter, ube flavor and butter. Sift the powdered sugar and add to the butter mixture slowly. Mix until smooth.

9. To assemble, cool cakes first. Divide the cake into four layers. For every layer, add 1/3 cup frosting in between. Cover the cake with frosting and top with macapuno.


or use this recipe below for this same cake:

Recipe 2 of Ube Macapuno Cake

What We Need:

For the Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoon ube flavoring
• 1 cup ube halaya (purple yam)

For Frosting

• 1 cup butter
• 1 pound icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon ube flavoring
• Macapuno preserves for topping

Here’s how:

(1) Combine oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

(2) Mix ube flavoring with milk. Set aside.

(3) Dry whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

(4) Add eggs one at a time to the oil-sugar mixture.

(5) Add ube halaya. Mix well until combined.

(6) Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients

(7) Add 1/2 of the milk-ube flavoring mixture. Repeat until all are combined. Bake in two 7-inch pans for 30-40 mins or until done.

(8) For the frosting, follow instructions for the basic buttercream replacing vanilla with ube flavoring.

(9) To assemble, divide cake into 4 (or just 2, depends on you), ice in between layers. Cover the whole cake with the frosting, top with macapuno preserves and pipe frilly borders on the cake.

(10) Get a cake slicer, a small plate and a fork.

                                eNjOy!

See more at http://bakehappy.net/2012/09/ube-macapuno-cake-recipe.html

Pandan Sponge Cake

Pandan Sponge Cake 

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs 

• 90g caster sugar 

• a pinch of salt

• 100g plain flour, sifted

• 75g melted butter 

• 25g homemade pandan extract*

• 1/2 tsp pandan flavor (mix together).

Method:

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients and whisk  at high speed till 

    stiff (the eggs would be tripled in volume).  

2. Fold in plain flour in 3 additions consecutively and 

    follow with the melted butter while mixing.   

3. Fold the batter well and pour into a greased and lined 8" 

    round pan.   

4. Bake in preheated oven of 160C for about 40-45 

    minutes.  

5. Cool the cake and slice into 3 layers. Set aside.

For the Kaya filling:

• 250g pandan water*** 

• 250g water 

• 50g butter  

• 150g caster sugar

            ********

• 250g coconut milk  

• 150g water 

• 80g hoen kwe flour** 

• 2 tsp instant jelly, optional (if you want the filling to set quickly, boil it at step 1) 

• 1/2 tsp pandan extract 

• 2 to 3 drops of green and yellow food colouring, optional

*** To make the pandan water : After washing the pandan leaves (used 10+ leaves), Cut into small pieces and blend the leaves. and squeeze out the juice and discard the leaves.  Leave the pandan juice in the fridge for a few days, use the concentrate pandan juice extract at the bottom for making cakes, the top pandan water use for the filling.

** This flour is made from mung beans (kacang hijau) and is used in most of Malaysian's cuisine such as Kuih Seri Muka and Pandan Layered Cake. It is sold in 85g packets and can be found in various colour such as green, red, white and yellow.

How To Prepared The Kaya Filling Mixture:

1. Combine 250g of pandan water, 250g water, butter, 

      sugar in a pot and bring to boil. 

2. Mix coconut milk, 150g water, hoen kwe flour, pandan 

     extract and the food colouring together.  

3. Pour this mixture to no.1 procedure, stir and cook till 

     mixture is thicken. 

4. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly 

     before pouring onto sponge cake.

How To Assemble The Cake:

1. Place the first slice of cake into a cake ring or cake pan 

    with removable base and pour 1/3 of the kaya filling 

    onto the cake. Repeat layering of cake and kaya filling, 

    finish with pouring the filling. 

2. Cool the cake first before placing in the fridge to set. 

3. Remove cake from cake ring or cake pan and coat the 

    sides with desiccated coconut. 

4. Service the cake when is chilled.

Recipe adopted from Pandan Sponge Cake