Luscious Lemon Layer Cake Recipe

Directions:

1. Prep time does not include chill time for filling etc.
2. For The Filling:
3. Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice into small bowl;
4. Sprinkle gelatin over top. Heat remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally,until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling.
5. Whisk eggs andyolks in large nonreactive bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hotlemon-sugar mixture into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan.
6. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with heatproof spatula, until mixture registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to leave trail when spatula is scraped along pan bottom, 4 to 6 minutes.Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved Stir in frozen butter until incorporated.
7. Pour filling through fine-mesh strainer into nonreactive bowl (you should have 3 cups).
8. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, at least 4 hours.
9. For The Cake:
10. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350
11. Degrees.
12. Grease and flour two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans
13. And line with parchment paper. In 2-cup liquid measure or medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg whites, and vanilla. In bowl of standing mixerfitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar baking powder, and salt at low speed.
14. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a
15. Time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs with no
16. Visible butter chunks. Add all but 1/2 cup milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
17. With mixer running at low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture;increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl.
18. Return mixer to medium speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
19. Divide batter evenly between cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops.
20. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
21. Loosen cakes from sidesof pans with small knife, cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto greased wire rack; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again; cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
22. To Assemble: Following illustrations below, use serrated knife to cut each cake into 2 even layers. Place bottom layer of 1 cake on cardboard round or cake plate.
23. Using icing spatula, spread 1 cup lemon filling evenly on
24. Cake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge; using cardboard round, gently replace top layer. Spread 1 cup filling on top.
25. Using cardboard round, gently slide bottom half of second cake into place. Spread remaining cup filling on top.
26. Using cardboard round, place top layer of second cake.
27. Smooth out any filling that has leaked from sides of cake; cover with
28. Plastic wrap and refrigerate while making icing.
29. For the icing: Combine all ingredients in bowl of standing mixer or largeheatproof bowl and set over medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water).
30. Cook, stirring constantly,until mixture registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes.
31. Remove bowl from heat and transfer mixture to standing mixer
32. Fitted with whisk attachment.
33. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form,about 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until
34. Mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, 5 minutes longer.
35. Using icing spatula, spread frosting on cake.
36. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving.)
37. Note
38. The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but it will becomequite stiff; fold it with a rubber spatula to loosen it before spreading onto the cake.
39. For neater slices, dip a knife into hot water before
40. Cutting the cake.
41. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator, with the
42. Cut side of the cake covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.