Lemon Raspberry Cake
(adapted from epicurious recipes)
This frosting, syrup and filling should be combined with the Decadently Moist White Cake listed in a prior post. This recipe is so good, the epitome of summertime! The natural OVER THE TOP - and yet is easy to make!
1. Add 1 and 1/2 (1.5) TB of lemon zest to the batter of Decadently Moist White Cake when you add the buttermilk.
2. After baking and cooling layers, brush with Lemon Raspberry Syrup (you won't need it all).
3. Spread organic raspberry jam between the layers. Or, instead of the jam, you can use a layer of fresh raspberries when they are in season.
4. Top with Lemon Raspberry Buttercream. You will only need 1/2 recipe of the buttercream to ice this cake, I usually freeze the rest or throw it on some cupcakes.
LEMON RASPBERRY SYRUP
For the syrup:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
zest of 1/2 of a large lemon removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
5 TB fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons eau-de-vie de framboise*
*This is clear raspberry brandy, literally translated as water of the raspberry, it has the most wonderful, pure raspberry flavor (not articifial like so many liquors) and is worth tracking down.
LEMON MERINUGE BUTTERCREAM
Makes about 12 cups.
For lemon curd:
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
For buttercream:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
8 large egg whites
3/4 tablespoon cream of tartar
10 sticks (5 cups) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened to cool room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons eau-de-vie-de-framboise
Make lemon curd:
In a small heavy saucepan whisk together yolks and sugar and whisk in lemon juice, butter, and a pinch of salt. Cook mixture over moderately low heat, whisking, until it reaches boiling point, 5 to 7 minutes (do not let it boil). Strain curd through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, its surface covered with a plastic wrap. Chill curd, covered at least 4 hours or overnight.
Make buttercream:
In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, undisturbed, until it reaches 248°F on candy thermometer. While syrup is boiling, in a standing electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tarter. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and add hot syrup in a stream, beating. Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until it is thick and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin but as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken.) Beat in lemon curd and salt, beating until smooth, and drizzle in framboise, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating. Buttercream may be made 4 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container or 2 weeks ahead and frozen in anairtight container. Let buttercream come completely to room temperature (this may take several hours if frozen) and beat before using.
