Lemon Cake with Lemon Bavarian Cream

 

★★★★★
4.9 from 20 reviews

This Lemon Cake with Lemon Bavarian Cream is made with a moist lemon cake, alternating layers of lemon bavarian cream and lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream!

• Author: Life Love and Sugar
• Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes, plus about 5 hours of cooling time
• Yield: 12-14 Slices 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

LEMON CURD                           Combine all ingredients in double boiler

• 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)  ----   Heat while whisking constantly until
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest                                            ]   mixture thickens and reaches 170-180
• 1/3 cup (69g) sugar                                                            ]   degrees and coats back of spoon.
• 4 egg yolks                                                                         ]   pour in bowl cover w/ plastic wrap on
• 2 tbsp (28g) salted butter                                                ---    surface of curd prevent skin forming
•                                                                                               Make while cake is baking   

LEMON BAVARIAN CREAM

• 1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin---------------------------]  In small bowl sprinkle gelatin over lemon
• 4 1/2 tbsp (68ml) lemon juice  ----------------------]        juice and set aside / will add to hot cream
• 3 egg yolks                                -----------------------]  Whisk set aside, 
• 3/4 cup (420ml) heavy whipping cream  -------
• 3 tbsp (26g) sugar                                            ] Add together in medium sauce pan over med.
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract                                      ]  heat, add some to egg yolks & stir to temper them
• 1 tbsp lemon zest  ---------------------------------   add tempered eggs to cream sugar mix in pan
• 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar  --]                                        cook stirring till 160 degree and thick
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream  ---] Combine whip stiff                            add gelatin, stir & cool
•                                                      fold into cooled cream till smooth

LEMON CAKE                      preheat oven to 350 line 3 8"cake pans parchment paper bottom                                                          grease and flour sides

• 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour            ----------------                                      separate in 3rds and
• 1/4 tsp baking soda                                                   ]    Combine in bowl     (later alternate adding
• 2 3/4 tsp baking powder                                           ]           set aside              1/3 at a time w/ milk)
• 1 tsp salt                                                ----------------
• 1 1/2 cups (336g) unsalted butter, room temperature ---]   Cream together 3 min
• 2 cups (414g) sugar                                                     ---]     till light and fluffy 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract                   --------------------
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk                                            ]    Combine & add alternating     ] split in 1/2
• 1/4 cup lemon juice                                                   ]     with dry ingredients mix till   ] 
• 2 tbsp lemon zest                             --------------------     incorporated don't over mix    ] (2 total)
• 4 egg whites                                  --------------]       Beat until stiff peaks form fold into cake batter

While mixing in dry and wet ingredients should be 3 total dry to 2 total when end with dry. Divide batter evenly between 3 prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes til tester removes clean. cool 1-2 min then cool on baking racks out of cake pans.

LEMON BUTTERCREAM

• 2 1/4 cups (504g) unsalted butter, room temperature   ----- Beat in mixer until smooth
• 9 1/2 cups (1093g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2–3 tbsp lemon juice
• Yellow gel icing color

Instructions

TO MAKE THE BAVARIAN CREAM:

9. Pour the custard into another bowl and set that bowl inside another bowl over ice. Allow to cool to room temperature.
10. While the custard cools, add the remaining cup of heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
11. When the custard is ready, gently fold the whipped cream into the custard. Be sure it’s at least room temperature, so the whipped cream doesn’t wilt/melt.

TO MAKE THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM:

21. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
22. Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar, mixing until well combined and smooth.
23. Add the salt, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until well combined and smooth.
24. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
25. Add additional lemon juice, if needed, to thin out the frosting.

TO PUT THE CAKE TOGETHER:

26. The cake layers should be pretty flat, but if there’s a dome, trim the tops of the cakes so they are flat. Cut each cake in half, so that you end up with 6 layers of cake. Get the lemon curd and bavarian cream from the fridge and stir them until smooth. The bavarian cream may need a little hand whisking to work out any lumps.
27. Place the first layer of cake on a serving platter. Pipe a small dam of frosting around the outer edge.
28. Fill the dam with 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
29. Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream. The cake layers are very tender, so I recommend using a cake lifter.
30. Add another dam of frosting around the out edge of the cake. Fill the dam with about half of the lemon curd.
31. Repeat with another layer of cake, dam of frosting and 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
32. Repeat with another layer of cake, dam of frosting and 1/2 of the lemon curd.
33. Repeat with the another layer of cake, dam of frosting and remaining 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
34. Add the final layer of cake on top, then frost the outside of the cake with a crumb coat and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours for the cake to firm up.
35. Frost the outside of the cake and decorate as you wish. To create the watercolor look I used, frost the outside of the cake roughly, then color the remaining frosting with yellow gel icing color. Place a few blobs of yellow frosting around the outside of the cake, then smooth out the cake a few more times to spread the yellow frosting around and create the effect. Use the remaining yellow frosting to pipe around the edges.
36. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. The cake is best when stored in an air tight container and eaten within 3-4 days.