Citron Cake
 
Makes 1 (6-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs (200 grams), lightly beaten
  • 3 cups (375 grams) sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • 1¼ cups (300 grams) whole buttermilk
  • 6 tablespoons (18 grams) lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
  • Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)
  • Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
  • Italian Meringue (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour 3 (6-inch) round cake pans; line pans with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add beaten eggs in small increments, beating well after each addition.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in zest and vanilla. Divide batter among prepared pans.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Using a serrated knife, level top of cake layers. Place bottom layer on a cake plate. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip with Meringue Buttercream. Pipe a ring of Meringue Buttercream around top edge of cake layer. Using a spoon, fill in ring with Lemon Curd. Top with next cake layer, and repeat with Meringue Buttercream and Lemon Curd. Add final layer, and spread a thin layer of Meringue Buttercream on top and sides of cake to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  6. Spread remaining Meringue Buttercream on top and sides of cake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip with Italian Meringue. Pipe dollops of Italian Meringue in varying sizes on top of cake. Using a kitchen torch, brown meringue. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round piping tip with remaining Lemon Curd. Pipe tiny droplets of Lemon Curd at base of meringue.
Recipe by Bake from Scratch at https://bakefromscratch.com/citron-cake/