Ok so here is the best cake recipe ever (in the entire world)! It is kind of like a pound cake density, and I admit that it does take a while to make, but I promise that it is SOOOO worth it! You probably could use any pound cake pan, but I always use my beehive cake pan for this one.
Ingredients:
Cake Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 3 tsp. lemon zest
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, concentrated lemon juice is not a good substitute
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 1/2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, whisked
- 1 tbs. milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, whisked
- 2-3 tsp. milk
Directions:
Because this cake does take a little while, I have broken it up for you in terms of days (yes I said days, but don’t freak out!)
- Day 1:
- Start with all room temperature ingredients. Move your oven rack to the lower third of the oven & preheat to 325 degrees. Then grease and flour your pan, tapping out any extra flour.
- Whisk together the flour, baking power, and salt.
- Using a mixer with the flat beater, beat butter on a medium speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Add in granulated sugar & lemon zest, and continue beating until light & fluffy (about 5 more minutes). Add in the eggs, a little at a time and beating well after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla and mix for about 30 seconds, just so that it's incorporated).
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and beat for 30 seconds.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- While the cake is cooling you will want to make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the honey, lemon juice and salt and bring just to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the cooled cake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack with wax paper underneath. Using a pastry brush (or your fingers), brush the glaze onto the warm cake. Let the glaze dry over night
- Day 2:
- Now it’s time to make the buttercream :-) Using a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- To make the royal icing (which is OPTIONAL), in a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and the 2 tsp. milk until smooth (thick but pourable).
- Stand one half of the cooled cake vertically on its base. Using a serrated knife, level the flat side of the cake by trimming off 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the edge. Repeat with the other cake half. Spread a thin layer of buttercream, about 1/2 cup, on the cut side of one of the cake halves. Place the cut side of the other cake half against the frosted side and gently press to secure the two halves; using the spatula, smooth the buttercream at the seam.
- Once your cake is on its serving platter, drizzle with the royal icing. I like to serve mine with fruit.
- Delicious!
Doesn’t that look so delicious?!?!?! Oh goodness I want a piece of this right now lol
Alright friends, have a sweet weekend!!!!
