Sunshine Cake

Driving through my homeland last month, the trees drooped heavy with the burden of bright yellow fruit. Lemons, oranges and grapefruit decorated the green branches. The smell of orange blossoms floated through the air and the hills were green and lush from the winter rains. Never is California more beautiful! This cake tastes like the California coast, rich, moist and dreamy.

Lemon-glazed Layer Cake

Sunset April 2010

Buttermilk provides moisture in this luscious cake. For the most citrus zing, be sure to use regular (Eureka) lemons rather than the sweeter Meyer .

2 cups flour (just for kicks, I used one cup of whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup all pourpse)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tsbsp finely shredded lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Lemon icing (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 8-in round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter again. Dust pans with flour and set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to mix.
3. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter with a mixer at meduim speed until well blended, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour to the sugar mixture, then buttermilk, then remaining flour mixture. Beat in lemon zest and juice.
4. Pour cake batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool  cake in pans 10 minutes on a rack; remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper from cakes and cool completely.
5. Set 1 cake llayer on a plate; evenly spread half of lemon icing on top. Cover with remaining cake layer and spread remaining icing on top. Garnish with a loose mound of lemon zest strips.

Lemon Icing
In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tbsp finely shredded lemon zest and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.