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Friday, March 2, 2007

For Kimberlee et al.

~from the July 2000 issue of Bon Appetit (not Southern Living, oops!) pg. 122

Lemon Blueberry Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

Buttermilk makes the cake tender, and cream cheese adds great texture to the frosting.

Cake
3 1/3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel
4 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Frosting
11 ounces good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Additional blueberries (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in lemon juice and peel, then eggs 1 at a time. Continue to beat until well blended. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Fold in berries. Transfer batter to pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks.

For frosting:
Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until almost melted. Remove from over water and stir until smooth. Cool to lukewarm. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in lemon juice, then cooled white chocolate.

To Frost:
Turn cakes out onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with additional blueberries and lemon slices, if desired. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

My notes ~ I am sure you can use all-purpose flour, but I have always used cake flour. Also, be sure to let the melted chocolate really cool otherwise the frosting will be too thin and difficult to spread. The lemon twists were made by slicing a lemon into thin rounds and then cutting one slice from the center to the edge on one side only. Pick up the two cut edges and twist them away from each other. The frosting will help keep them in the twisted position.

3 comments:

  1. Sorry! Didn't mean to make your Lent harder. But there is always Sunday! :^)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful! Can't wait to make this one (after Easter)!

    ReplyDelete

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