Prepping for the Lemon-Off: Lemon Cake

In just a few short weeks we will be having a Lemon-Off in Battle Hill.  I absolutely love lemon and have been seeing a bunch of recipes for sweet and savory lemon dishes. My cravings hit a high and I decided it was time for another bake/cook-off.  I was thinking that I may make this cake and, since I had not made it before, figured I should try it out first.  It is delicious and tasty but perhaps not creative enough for our little neighborhood battle.  The lemon flavor was strong, but I would have liked it to be stronger, like it's soaked in lemon juice.  It was really easy to make and I will definitely make it again.

  Cake:

• 1 lemon
• 3 cups  all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1 cup  milk
• 1 container (6 ounces)  lemon yogurt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups  sugar
• 3 large  eggs

  Frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 16 ounces confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons  lemon juice (from Cake) 

Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350°. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line pans with waxed paper (Trace cake pan on waxed paper. Cut out circle; repeat for second pan. Fit waxed paper circles into bottoms of greased pans); spray paper.
2. Zest lemon peel (about 2 teaspoons). Juice lemon.
3. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, yogurt and vanilla. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
4. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture. Beat well after each addition. 
5. Fold in zest. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
6. Bake layers at 350° for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake layers directly onto racks, remove and discard waxed paper and let layers cool completely.

Frosting:

1. Once layers are cool, beat butter, 1 cup of the confectioners sugar, the reserved lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl until smooth. 
2. Gradually beat in remaining confectioners sugar until good spreading consistency.  
3. To frost cake, place one layer on a plate or stand. Spread top of layer with 1 cup frosting. Stack second cake layer on first and begin frosting side of cake. Continue around side of cake, then finish top, swirling decoratively. 
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate before slicing and serving. 

Enjoy!