Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch pans. We like to line the bottom of our pans with circles of parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds and set aside.

Step 3

In another bowl, combine the milk, oil, lemon juice, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Set aside.**It will take a on a thick, clumpy look- don't worry- the lemon is basically turning the milk into buttermilk.

Step 4

In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and cream cheese and mix at medium speed until smooth.

Step 5

Gradually add the sugar and mix at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6

Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

Step 7

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (We did 3 additions of the dry mixture, 2 additions of wet). Slightly increase the mixer speed just until combined.

Step 8

Divide the batter between the three prepared pans.

Step 9

Bake at 325 degrees F for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack before turning out.

Step 10

This recipe makes approximately 8 cups of batter. Works for cupcakes also (although there will be little to no dome).

Step 11

Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (3-4 minutes). Boil, stirring, for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 12

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl with egg yolks and stir quickly until combined. Continue stirring, while pouring the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened and lemon colored (1-2 min).

Step 13

Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.-- Let the lemon curd cool, then press plastic wrap onto the surface, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate.

Step 14

This will fill a 2-3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake with some leftover. The recipe can be halved.I have refrigerated the lemon curd for a week and it was fine....I'm not sure how long it will keep beyond that. Makes 1 1/4 cups

Step 15

Chill the mixing bowl and beaters/ whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 16

Pour the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into the chilled mixing bowl, begin beating on low speed gradually increasing to medium high speed.

Step 17

The cream begins to thicken (approx. 1 1/2 minutes) and soft peaks form....peaks that slightly bend over.  Watch closely as this happens quickly.  Do not over beat.

Step 18

In the bowl of your mixer beat the butter until smooth,  blend in the lemon extract and zest.Add 1/2 of the powdered sugar and 1/2 of the milk and mix at medium speed until combined.

Step 19

Add remaining powdered sugar and gradually add the milk.  You can also add a touch of lemon yellow coloring gel at this point if you would like more color.

Step 20

Mix at medium speed 3 to 5 minutes scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.  At the end of mixing, slow down the mixer to very low speed for a minute or two, this will help to eliminate air pockets in the buttercream.

Step 21

Yield:  6 cups  - enough to fill and frost a 3 layer 8 inch cakeCan be frozen in an air tight container for at least 3 months.  Thaw on countertop and remixIf your buttercream is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Step 22

If the consistency is too thick, add a bit more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Step 23

Place the first cake layer on the cake plate or pedestal.

Step 24

Pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer, using a piping bag with the tip snipped away (or ziplock bag).

Step 25

Fill with a layer of lemon curd, followed by a layer of whipped cream. Top with the next cake layer and repeat steps with dam and filling.

Step 26

Top with the third cake layer and fill any remaining gaps between the cake layers with buttercream.

Step 27

Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm things up (optional).

Step 28

Frost the sides of the cake with the final coat of buttercream (I added ridges with a cake comb). Finally, I piped rosettes around the top edge of the cake using a 2D piping tip and filled the top with a thin layer of lemon curd.Chill the cake until within a couple of hours of serving.