Danielle Peterson, Minneapolis, MN (caked baked in Brooklyn)
The art of cake baking something I have very little interest in, I believe partially because I don’t have a big sweet tooth and partially because baking just doesn’t excite me like other cooking. I’d rather have a steak or big bowl full of vegetables over dessert any day. As I have grown older I have noticed a little bit more craving of sweets especially after a meal so as I still am not a big dessert person I am certainly more open to it than ever before, but as you can imagine I am particular, typically prefer desserts not too sweet and desserts that are tart and more on the savory side.
My friend Danielle who is an exceptional cake baker asked me last year what type of cake I wanted, we threw a big dinner party and her task was the cake.I debated while knowing that I needed to please the crowd and myself, it’s my nature! Finally I said to Danielle, I want a 3-4 layer buttermilk lemon cake that is super lemony, in between the layers I want a rich lemon curd covered by fresh strawberries soaked in lemon juice sugar and tons of basil, and for the frosting nothing except lemon zest cream cheese! And for decorations fresh strawberries and basil. This is the exact cake Danielle ended up making, it was my dream cake, my birthday cake! Now I wouldn’t even release this recipe but about a month before my birthday Danielle made MY CAKE for someone else, she said it was in the name of practicing……nonetheless, I cannot forgive her for betraying me and making my cake for another, so here it is I post it for all and I will come up with a new one for next year!!!
Buttermilk Lemon Cake
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons lemon zest
3 large eggs
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
Preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 ½-inch-high sides. Beat sugar, butter and lemon peel in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk in lemon juice. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into lemon mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely
Strawberries & Basil Layer
4 cups strawberries, cleaned & hulled and sliced thick
1 cup sugar
½ cup fresh basil chopped fine
½ cup lemon juice
Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl gently. Allow to soak for approx 20 minutes, strain so that no juice is remaining.
Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Frosting
18 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons lemon zest
In a food processor combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.
To assemble the cake in between each layer put approx 1 -1 ½ cups of the strawberry mixture
And then frost.
