Pink Lemonade Cake with Lemonade Buttercream
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Pink Lemonade Cake with Lemonade Buttercream
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Yield/Serves:
Makes 18 servings
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 whole eggs, room temperature
- 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Red food coloring, divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1⅓ cups whole milk
- ¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 1 recipe Lemonade Butter frosting
When cutting this cake, guests will be surprised to see and taste colorful, two-tone pink layers that burst with lemonade flavor.
Preheat an oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center. Grease two 9- x 2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds; grease paper. Flour pans, tapping to remove excess set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together 3⅓ cups flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring and zest; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a bowl, stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled). Alternatively add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Remove half (4 cups) of the batter; spread in one pan. In remaining batter, stir in remaining ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring. Spread in second pan.
Transfer to the oven and bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Lemonade Butter Frosting.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Trim off domed tops of layers so cake will stand flat. Cut each layer horizontally in half, making four layers. Brush crumbs from layers.
Place one dark pink layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting just to edges. Top with light pink layer, followed by second dark pink layer, spreading frosting on each just to edges. Stack final light pink layer, cut-side down. Spread frosting on top and sides as desired.
Preheat an oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center. Grease two 9- x 2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds; grease paper. Flour pans, tapping to remove excess set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together 3⅓ cups flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring and zest; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a bowl, stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled). Alternatively add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Remove half (4 cups) of the batter; spread in one pan. In remaining batter, stir in remaining ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring. Spread in second pan.
Transfer to the oven and bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Lemonade Butter Frosting.
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Trim off domed tops of layers so cake will stand flat. Cut each layer horizontally in half, making four layers. Brush crumbs from layers.
Place one dark pink layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting just to edges. Top with light pink layer, followed by second dark pink layer, spreading frosting on each just to edges. Stack final light pink layer, cut-side down. Spread frosting on top and sides as desired.