Lemon Elderflower Cake
Layer Cake with elderflower and lemon flavors
Equipment
- (3) 6-inch cake pans
- fine mesh strainer (sieve) for sifting flour
- piping bag
- medium-sized star tip
Ingredients
Cake
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ⅔ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 box white cake mix (Duncan Hines used)
- vegetable shortening (for coating the pans)
- extra flour (for coating the pans)
Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 tablespoons elderflower syrup
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 large lemon, zested
Decorations
- edible flowers
- 1 lemon, sliced
- ⅛ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour the cake pans. Cut parchment paper circles and place them in the prepared pans. Grease and flour the parchment circles.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, egg white, and oil until smooth and well blended.
- Sift the cake mix into the wet ingredients. Stir just until blended. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake on the center rack for 26-28 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness. If it comes out clean or with crumbs, the cake is done. If not, bake for a few additional minutes and check it again with a toothpick.
- After baking, let cakes cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and flip onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper circles and cool completely.
Buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Sift sugar and salt together, then add it to the butter one cup at a time, beating until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the elderflower syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly mixed for about 5 minutes.
- Frost each layer, taking time to smooth the frosting as you go. Use a piping bag fitted with a star tip to pipe buttercream stars around the bottom of the cake.
Decorations
- Wash and dry the edible flowers, then set them aside.
- Cut the lemon into slices and set aside.
- Cut flower stems to the desired length. Shorter stems work best.
- Heat the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted. Dip the flower stems in the chocolate to seal them; let them dry.
- Place flowers and lemon slices on the cake in a pleasing arrangement.
Notes
Cake Doneness Tests
You can test your cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out with batter, bake it a little longer. When finished cooking, the toothpick will come out clean or with crumbs. Another way to test a cake's doneness is to press on the center and then release. If the center bounces back into place, the cake is done.Nutrition
Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 307mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 1gSugar: 54gVitamin A: 499IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 1mg
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