The Cake Slice Bakers, Challenge #6: Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake

This cake was a delight from start to finish. For some reason, making it was really, really pleasant. Usually, when I’m cooking, I’m kind of stressed out because I only leave myself exactly enough time, or because I have kids underfoot, or because my kitchen is already a disaster before I even start. This time, for whatever reason, it was just really enjoyable. The cake came together really quickly. The lemon curd tasted amazing. And it looked really pretty. If I make it again, I will make more of the frosting and put some between the layers instead of just on top; the cake was just a wee bit too dry, and extra whipped cream would help.

Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake
from Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne

for the cake:
8 eggs, separated
1/4 cup oil
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch pans with parchment paper but do not butter or grease the pans. In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. In the bowl of an elecric mixer, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until light and frothy. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Sift the flour, remaining sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk gently to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and mix to create a smooth paste. Add 1/4 of the egg whites and fold in to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining egg whites and divide the batter among the three pans. Bake for about 16 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks to cool in the pans. Once cool, run a knife around the cake in order to un-mold the cakes. Carefully pull off the parchment paper from the bottoms of the ckaes. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand. Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of lemon curd and spread it evenly. Repeat with the remaining layers. Frost the top of the cake and the sides with the lemon cream frosting.

for the lemon curd:
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
grated zest of 3 lemons
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small non-reactive saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Make sure not to boil the mixture. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the butter and cover the curd with plastic making sure the plastic touches the curd. This should prevent a skin from forming on the curd. Refrigerate until cold. Then remove 3 Tablespoons of curd and set it aside for the icing.

for the lemon cream frosting:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons lemon curd

Whip the cream and sugar in a large, chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold int eh lemon curd, forming a stiff frosting.