Emily’s Lemon Trifle

LEMON CAKE:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 stick unsalted butter — at room temperature (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
  
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8×2-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter the parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites.

3. Put the granulated sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of standing mixer or a large mixing bowl and beat momentarily on low. Add the butter and beat on medium speed for 3 full minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon extract.

4. Beating on medium speed, alternate the dry and wet ingredients starting and ending with the dry. Beat until smooth after each addition. Beat for 2 additional minutes on medium speed, ensuring the batter is very well combined and that plenty of air has been beaten into it.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake pans on a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes, then run a dull knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Gently invert the cake onto a rack, let cool to room temp.

LEMON CUSTARD:

• 3 lemons
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Zest 3 lemons into food processor, avoid white flesh of lemon, and add the sugar. Pulse until zest is minced with the sugar and fragrant.

2. Move sugar and zest mixture into a stand mixer or medium bowl and cream butter into the sugar zest. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Add lemon juice and salt, mix until combined.

3. Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook mixture over low-medium heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk constantly. When thickened, remove from heat and refrigerate to cool.

WHIPPED CREAM:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5-7 tbsp sugar
• 1-2 tsp Lemon extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chill large bowl and mixer attachments in freezer.

2. Add heavy cream and sugar into chilled bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

3. You can add a teaspoon or two of lemon extract to ramp up the lemon flavor, but it isn’t required. Refrigerate.

ASSEMBLY:

• 1 box of Nabisco vanilla lemon wafers
• Lemon Cake (recipe above)
• Lemon curd (recipe above)
• Whipped cream (recipe above)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take the room temperature cakes and cut into 1-inch squares. Set aside.

2. Layer bottom of trifle bowl with a thin layer of lemon curd. Place cake squares into a single layer over the curd.

3. Layer more lemon curd with rubber spatula, and then whipped cream with clean rubber spatula. Gently press down after each layer. Continue layer cake, curd, then whipped cream. End with a lemon curd layer before piping on whipped cream designs or layer with whipped cream. Crumble and decorate with Nabisco lemon vanilla wafers. Chill until serving.