Cake Design Series: Cake 1

I just started taking a cake decorating class in hopes of refining my decorating skills and figuring out how they create all those delicate icing flowers... This is the first cake I've created... During our first class, the instructor said she didn't care where the cake came from because this is NOT a baking class. Well good news: I KNOW how to bake :) She gave us the option of buying boxed cake mix, or making our cake from scratch. Well for everyone who knows me, knows I would always opt for option two! I decided to go with a Lemon cake with Lemon filling and Vanilla Buttercream icing! 

Ingredients for the Lemon Cake 

3 cups of all-purpose flour 
1 tbsp of baking powder
1-1/2 tsp of salt 
3/4 of a cup of unsalted butter, softened
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs 
5 tbsp of lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
1-1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract 
1-1/2 cup of milk
2 tbsp of lemon zest 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using Cake Release**, brush on to an 8inch cake pan. (This recipe makes enough batter for 2 - 8inch cake pans or 1 - 8inch cake pan & 12 cupcakes) 

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest. Place batter in prepared pan.

Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Remove from pan; cool completely.

Ingredients for the Lemon Filling 

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
2 egg yolks slightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon peel grated
juice of a medium lemon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine 

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually add water and whisk until well blended. Whisk in egg yolks, lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly. Boil one minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool to room temperature, without stirring. Yields 1 cup

Wilton's Vanilla Buttercream Icing 

Although I wouldn't have chosen this particular icing as my first choice, this is the icing required for my cake decorating class. This recipe is strait from my Wilton's Decorating Basics Book.

1 cup of solid white vegetable shortening 
1 tsp of clear vanilla artificial extract 
7-8 tsp of water 
1 lb. of confectioners sugar 
1 tbsp of Wilton's Meringue Powder 

 Cream shortening, extract, and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Yields 2-1/2 cups.


Annnnnd...It's a good first shot!