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Lemon Birthday Cake

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Assembly Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 1 4-layer 8" round cake

Equipment

  • 2 8" or 9" round cake pans
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cup and spoons

Ingredients

Cake:

  • ½ stick butter, softened
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 zest lemons
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Filling and Icing:

  • Blueberry jam
  • 1 recipe Lemon Curd* see recipe linked above
  • Simple Chocolate Icing: 6 oz chocolate melted with 4 tbsp milk or water
  • * save some of the cream for decorating the cake!

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Take eggs out of the fridge to warm. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter cake pans and line the bottoms with buttered parchment paper. If necessary, prepare buttermilk with milk and a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Soften the butter in the microwave. Beat together butter, oil, sugar, and lemon zest.
  • Add in eggs, beating, one at a time. Then add vanilla.
  • In a small bowl, combine all purpose flour and baking powder.
  • Turn the beater on low, and slowly add in buttermilk and flour mixture to the large mixing bowl, alternating a few times. Stop when batter has just combined.
  • Pour into cake tins evenly.
  • If baking 8″ cakes, bake at 350˚F for ~40 minutes, until tops are springy and edges brown. Baking time may be slightly less in 9″ pans.
  • While cakes are baking, prepare the Lemon Curd.
  • When cakes are nearly cooled, prepare the Simple Chocolate Icing.

Assembly:

  • When cakes are cooled, slice them in half horizontally to make 4 layers.
  • To layer and ice the cake: Place one layer onto the final cake plate. Spread a layer of blueberry (or other flavor) jam, then a layer of lemon curd. Repeat with all layers until the top layer. Spread the chocolate icing on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with whipped cream and fresh blueberries if desired.