Lemon Layer Cake With Lemon Curd And Mascarpone Recipes

LEMON LAYER CAKE WITH LEMON CURD AND MASCARPONE

Steps:

• You'll need a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip to create the decorative rosettes.
• Begin making this cake two days before you plan to serve it.
• For lemon curd: Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium metal bowl.
• Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until thickened and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 10 minutes.
• Remove bowl from over water. Add butter; whisk until melted.
• Transfer 2 cups curd to small bowl for spreading on cake layers. Reserve remaining curd for filling.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of both curds. Chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled).
• For cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F.
• Line bottom of two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with parchment paper (do not grease pans or parchment).
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 7 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Add remaining 7 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff and glossy.
• Fold half of whites into yolk mixture, then sift half of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt over and gently fold in until incorporated.
• Fold in remaining whites, then sift remaining flour over and fold in just until combined, being careful not to deflate batter.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops.
• Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
• Cool in pans on racks.
• Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes.
• Invert cakes onto 9-inch-diameter cardboard rounds, tapping on work surface if necessary to release cakes.
• Cut each cake horizontally in half (layers will be thin). Peel off parchment.
• For syrup: Place sugar in small metal bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water; stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in lemon juice.
• For filling and frosting: Beat whipping cream and sugar in large bowl until peaks form.
• Add mascarpone to lemon curd in medium bowl; whisk until blended.
• Fold whipped cream into lemon-mascarpone mixture.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter.
• Brush with 1/2 of syrup.
• Spread 1/2 cup lemon curd over, then 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling.
• Top with second cake layer; brush with 1/2 of syrup and spread with 1/2 cup lemon curd and 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling.
• Repeat with third cake layer, syrup, lemon curd, and filling.
• Top with fourth cake layer.
• Brush with remaining syrup, then spread remaining lemon curd over.
• Spoon 2 cups lemon-mascarpone filling into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch star tip (to be used for rosettes).
• Spread remaining lemon-mascarpone filling as a frosting over sides of cake.
• Pipe small rosettes of frosting over top of cake, covering completely.
• Cover cake with cake dome; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

LEMON LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and juice. In a small bowl, mix sour cream and milk. In another bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 24-28 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool slightly., For syrup, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Cool completely., For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth; beat in confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and salt until blended., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Brush layers with warm syrup; cool completely., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. If desired, top with lemon slices or edible flowers. Refrigerate leftovers.