Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (divided)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 eggs (separated)
• 4 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 pound unsalted butter (softened)
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325°F, prepare two 8-inch round pans with spray, parchment and a dusting of flour, and sift the cake flour with the baking powder, salt, baking soda and 1¼ cups of the sugar.
2. Mix the melted butter, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest and the egg yolks from the separated eggs in a small bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the remaining ¼ cup sugar gradually, and whip to stiff peaks.
4. Stream the butter mixture into the flour on low speed, mix briefly, then fold in half the whipped whites followed gently by the rest until no streaks remain.
5. Bake the layers for 30 to 45 minutes until they spring back when touched, cool them in the pans, then chill the wrapped layers for at least 4 hours to make frosting easier.
6. For the frosting, whisk the extra egg whites and sugar over simmering water to 165°F, whip to medium stiff peaks, then beat in the softened butter a tablespoon at a time with the lemon zest and salt until thick and smooth, and use it to fill and ice the chilled layers.

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 35 min · Total: 80 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data