Lemon Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 three-layer cake
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 cup soft butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Lemon Filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 package (8 ounces) soft cream cheese
• 1 package (16 ounces) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Decorating:

• 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Instructions

For the Cake:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the soft butter with an electric blender until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat well until the mixture is creamy.
3. Add Egg Yolks: Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat on low speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Beat Egg Whites: In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
6. Combine Batter: Gently fold a third of the whipped egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it. Then, fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until well combined.
7. Pour into Pans: Divide the cake batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans.
8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a clean wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
9. Cool: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the pans and let them cool completely on the wire racks.

For the Lemon Filling:

1. Prepare Lemon Zest: Remove the peel from 3 lemons, taking care to avoid the white pith. Place the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is finely combined with the sugar.
2. Mix Lemon Filling: Melt the butter and whisk it into the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the beaten egg yolks one at a time, then add the lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
3. Cook: Pour the mixture into a 2-liter saucepan and cook over low heat until it thickens (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees Fahrenheit, just below boiling. Remove it from heat and allow it to cool.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Prepare Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the soft butter and cream cheese on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at low speed until well combined. Stir in the vanilla.

Assembling the Cake:

1. Layer and Fill: Spread the lemon filling between the cooled cake layers.
2. Frost Cake: Frost the surface and sides of the cake with the cream cheese frosting.
3. Toast Coconut: To toast the shredded sweetened coconut, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the coconut in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Toast in the oven, checking every minute until the coconut reaches the desired color. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
4. Decorate: Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top of the cake. Decorate the cake as desired.
5. Serve: Slice and enjoy your scrumptious Lemon Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

We’d love to hear about your experience making these! Share your stories, photos, or any variations you tried in the comments below. Happy cooking!