Lemon Blueberry Cake
Cake:
· 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
· 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
· 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
· 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 3 eggs, room temperature
· 1 cup buttermilk
· ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
· ¾ cup vegetable oil
· Zest of 3 large lemons
· 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
Filling:
· 1 cup lemon curd
Buttercream:
· 1 cup blueberry juice (fresh or bottled)
· 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
· 4 cups powdered sugar
· 2 tablespoons meringue powder
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· Milk, if needed
Garnish:
· Fresh blueberries
Bake the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line with parchment paper, and spray the paper also.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour (except for 2 tablespoons), sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, oil and lemon zest, and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Toss the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons flour, and fold the blueberries into the batter.
Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Set pans on wire racks, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
Pour the blueberry juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer until reduced until to ¼ cup; juice will be syrupy. Cool completely.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute. Combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder and add by spoonfuls to the butter, while mixing on low. Add the vanilla and the reduced blueberry juice; increase speed to medium high and whip until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally, for 4-5 minutes.
Assemble the Cake:
Remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment paper, and level the tops if needed. Set one cake on a cake stand. Spread half the lemon curd over the cake (I like to pipe a “dam” of buttercream around the edge of the cake before spreading with the filling, to ensure the filling doesn’t leak out). Top with the second layer of cake and repeat with the rest of the lemon curd. Top with the third layer of cake.
Frost the cake all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream, then chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set before frosting with the final coat of buttercream. Pipe decorative swirls if you like, and garnish with fresh blueberries.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen