Turning A Birthday into a Lifestyle

1-800-HAPPYBIRTHDAY

When you're best friend is turning 22 and feeling not in the birthday mood you step up. And baby, this cake is my life's masterpiece. Really, okay not really, but I definitely stared at this cake for a good 20 minutes. Don't Judge.

This is my go-to lemon cake recipe, it is super fluffy because of the whipped egg whites, it's soft like a cloud and the lemon curd filling tastes like sunshine. You can't not smile while eating this cake, it's the perfect combination of sweet and tart, like me.

TURN YOUR BIRTHDAY INTO A LIFESTYLE

I made Drake's wonderful face out of Swiss Meringue Buttercream using a frozen buttercream transfer. Swiss meringue buttercream is my favorite kind of frosting and I believe it is superior to all frostings. Yes, I said it. AND I MEAN IT!

---

Lemon Cake

Cake:

2 c cake flour

2 t baking powder

pinch salt

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 sticks room temp. butter

zest of a whole lemon

1 T vanilla

1/2 c milk

6 egg whites

Lemon Curd:

5 egg yolks

1 c sugar

1/3 c lemon juice

1 stick of butter, cubed

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

250g egg whites

14 oz sugar

7 sticks medium temperature butter, yes 7 sticks.

2 t vanilla bean

pinch of salt

lemon curd TT

lemon zest TT

---

CAKE CAKE CAKE:

1. first things first, heat your oven to 350F. next mix 1 1/4 c of the sugar with the room temperature butter with a stand mixer until it is super fluffy and no longer granular, this takes about 5 minutes and helps the cake be nice and fluffy!

2. once the butter and sugar have gotten nice and fluffy add the lemon zest and vanilla. while that whips up sift all of your dry ingredients into one bowl.

3. scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 1/3 of your dry ingredients and mix again, once that is combined, add some of your milk, and continue doing this until you've added all of the flour and milk.

4. separate your egg yolks and whites and put your egg whites in a large clean bowl. save the yolks for the lemon curd! with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until they become nice and frothy, slowly add in the remaining sugar until the egg whites come to a stiff peak and are super shiny.

5. okay now it's time to combine the mixtures. add 1/4 of the egg whites to the batter and gently fold the whipped whites into the batter with a rubber spatula. once that is combined add the rest of the egg whites and fold it in. be careful not to deflate the whipped egg whites because the air is what makes your cakes rise!

6. now divide the batter between two prepared 6in' pans ( this recipe is actually for a 9in' cake, but I like my cakes tall!) and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. approximately 25-35 minutes.

Lemon Curd:

1. while the cake is baking prepare the lemon curd! in a double boiler whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light yellow.

2. whisk in the lemon juice and whisk constantly because you don't want your egg yolks to cook! whisk the lemon curd until the mixture gets really thick, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. once the mixture is thick, remove it from the heat and add in the cubed butter and mix until the butter is incorporated.

4. let the lemon curd cool in the fridge before you put it in the cake and resist not eating it with a spoon.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

1. over a double boiler mix your egg whites and sugar with a whisk until foamy. the sugar should be dissolved and no longer granular, about 3 minutes.

2. whip the mixture on high until glossy and the bowl is no longer warm.

3. add the softened (not room temperature!) butter in pieces slowly, the frosting will look like it has broken but it will whip back up just keep adding butter and give the frosting lots of compliments.

4. after the frosting has whipped back up again and looks lovely add your flavorings and a pinch of salt.