Luscious Lemon Layer Cake Recipes

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.

Steps:

• 1. To make the lemon cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust the pans with flour and tap out the excess.
• 2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together the dry ingredients with a whisk. Set aside.
• 3. In an electric stand mixer, using the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds, or until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, increase the speed to medium-high, and continue to beat until the mixture is light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• 4. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in he lemon juice (the batter will appear curdled at this point smooth out after you add the dry ingredients). Beat in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans.
• 5. Bake the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rakcs and cool completely.
• 6. To make the lemon filling, in a medium nonreactive saucepan, whisk together the yolks and sugar until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture turns opaque, thickens, and coats the back of the spoon. Do not let the filling boil, or it will curdle. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and allow the filling to cool.
• 7.Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until chilled.
• 8. In a clean bowl of the electric mixer, using the whisk attachment or beaters, beat the heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Remove the lemon filling from the refrigerator and whisk until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the filling. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the filling until ready to assemble the cake.
• 9. To make the lemon frosting, in the large bowl of the electric mixer, using the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar on low speed. Add the cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat for about 3 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• 10. To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Pile the lemon filling onto the center using a small offset metal spatula, and spread it into an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the cake layer. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the lemon frosting. (If some of the filling oozes out from the middle, just blend it with the frosting around the sides of the cake.) Serve the cake immediately, or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round pans as directed on package, blending dry drink mix and lemon zest into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Stir in milk and lemon juice. Refrigerate 15 min. or until thickened but not set. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.
• Cut each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers. Stack on plate, spreading COOL WHIP mixture between layers and on top of cake.

Steps:

• Prepare the cake mix according to the box, and bake as directed in 2 round pans.
• Remove from the pans to cool.
• Put the cakes back in pans, and poke cakes all over with a fork.
• Mix the boiling water with the Jell-O until dissolved.
• Pour half over each layer, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Pour milk into a bowl.
• Add pudding mix and powdered sugar.
• Blend with a wire whisk.
• Stir in the Cool Whip until completely combined.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To frost, dip one cake pan in hot water for about 10 seconds.
• Unmold it onto serving plate.
• Spread with about 1 cup of frosting.
• Top with second layer, then frost top and sides of cake.
• Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• To prepare cake: Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes).
• Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; stir will with a whisk.
• Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with four mixture; beat well after each addition.
• Cut a circle of parchment paper for bottom of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and spray sides with cooking spray.
• Divide batter between pans.
• Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• To prepare frosting: Place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
• Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed just until blended (do not over beat).
• Chill 1 hour.
• Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
• Top with remaining cake layer.
• Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
• Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place cake layers, top sides up, in 2 clean 9-inch round pans. Pierce cakes with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
• Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Carefully pour over cake layers. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min.; stir in COOL WHIP. Dip 1 cake pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold onto plate. Spread with about 1 cup pudding mixture. Unmold second cake layer; carefully place on first cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.