Lemon Velvet Cake

It all started with me trying to develop the best Red Velvet Cake recipe I could.  It was such a sucess and I loved the moist, tender texture of that cake so much that I just had to try a White Velvet Cake and then an Orange Velvet Cake. Those turned out to be a couple of the most popular cake recipes ever on Rock Recipes so I couldn't stop there. Keeping the lemon lovers like me in mind, a luscious lemon version was inevitable. The creamy, tangy lemon buttercream frosting goes particularly well with this beautiful lemon cake too.

Am I done with Velvet Cake recipes yet? Maybe not, I have an idea that might work out for yet another version. Here's a clue...think pink. :)  

Developed from an outstanding Red Velvet Cake recipe, this lemon cake is a perfectly moist and tender crumbed cake with a lemony buttercream frosting. An ideal birthday cake for the lemon lover in your life.

Prep time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour.
Yield: 12 -16 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
• 1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
• 2 tsp pure lemon extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• zest of two small or one large lemons, grated and finely chopped
• FOR THE FROSTING
• 8 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 1 tsp pure lemon extract
• 1 tsp minced lemon zest (optional) 
• aprox 4 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Sift together both flours, baking soda. baking powder, salt and sugar, Set aside.
2. 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
3. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
4. Fold in the lemon zest.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
6. I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
7. 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.
8. FOR THE FROSTING: mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and butter until it becomes sort of crumbly.
9. Add the lemon extract and a little of the milk.
10. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the frosting to a creamy spreadable consistency.
11. Fill and frost the cake. Garnish with candied lemon zest if desired.
12. To make candied lemon zest, remove the zest with a sharp vegetable peeler in long strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible.
13. Bring one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a slow boil.
14. Add the pieces of lemon zest and boil for about 15 minutes. Drain the lemon zest on a wire rack.
15. When cool, cut them in strips and roll in fine sugar. 

author:Barry C. Parsons