super lemony cake with cream cheese frosting

I think cake is almost always way too sweet. Super sweet frosting without any obvious flavour other than slick, fatty, sweetness with the faintest whiff of a mirage of vanilla. I never liked super sweet cakes and I think  that's why I like to make cake. I want cake to be its best self. Floofy and light and flavourful and intense and not quite so damn sweet all at once. It is possible! This cake combats over sweetness in two ways: super tart and thick lemon curd, combined with extra strength lemon syrup soaked cake layers; and a fluffy, tangy whipped cream cheese frosting. 

Layering the lemon in syrup and curd gets this cake intensely lemony: zingy and tart and puckering and bright. It's a summer time, sunshiney cake. This frosting is a little different that other cream cheese frostings, it's whipped up with whipping cream. It makes a really fluffy and light frosting that is pipeable and holds it's shape beautifully. 

Note about amounts: This cake recipe makes at least twice as much as you will need for the petite cake I made here. Either extra freeze raw batter in mason jars (make sure to leave 1" of space at the top of the jar and freeze without lid, put the lid on after batter is frozen) for using later, or just double the frosting, syrup and curd amounts and make a mega cake! The frozen cake batter will work great thawed, more on this coming soon. Frozen cake batter will change your life. 

yellow cake: 

adapted from smitten kitchen

• 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 cups buttermilk (or two cups milk soured with a splash of lemon juice)

Heat oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two 6" cake pans with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Cream butter and sugar together until light in colour. Add vanilla and eggs and beat to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and eat again until well incorporated. 

On the lowest speed, beat in buttermilk. Add flour mixture in three additions. Hand mix with a spatula a little to avoid flour explosions. Scrape down bowl to make sure there are no unmixed spots. 

Reserve half the batter for another use. Divide remaining batter between two prepared 6" pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cakes and run a knife around the edge so they come out of the pan cleanly. 

lemon curd:

adapted from Martha Stewart

• 6 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• zest from one lemon

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cub cold butter, cubed

Combine yolks, lemon juice and rind, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat and stir in cubed butter, mixing until well combined. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, transfer to a glass jar and chill in the fridge until cool and very thick. The curd can be made several days in advance.

lemon syrup:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Chill.

whipped cream cheese frosting:

adapted from Just a Taste

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup + 2 tbs whipping cream, chilled

• 1/2 vanilla bean innards, or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well incorporated. Whisking at a medium-high speed, pour whipping cream into mixer bowl in a slow stream. Frosting should become very fluffy. 

assembly:

Trim cakes as required to flatten the tops, I like to cut the side crusts off too to get nothing but the super fluffy middle cake. Drizzle lemon syrup generously over the cake layers and let soak in for a couple minutes. 

Place one cake layer on a 6" cake board if you have it, or a flat plate or cake stand. Cover cake with a very generous layer of curd, it should be quite thickly set so you can really pile it on without oozing over the edge. Leave a thin boarder of uncovered cake around the edge to make space for squishing when you add the next cake layer. Sandwich next cake layer on top and cool in the fridge around 15 minutes to set up, to help the curd not ooze out into your frosting. This is a good time to make the frosting. 

Frost the chilled cake quickly all over with an offset spatula, making sure to cover all exposed cake. Adding more frosting as you go, use an offset spatula, or bench scraper to tidy up and give the cake some nice clean angles. I used a cake comb to make the ridges along the side on the cake.  

Optional: decorate your cake with some sprinkles. You really should do it though, look how cute they are.

rhubarb & crumb snack cake

I love streusel. Fruit crumble (or crisp, depending on some regional variations, but we said crumble) was the dessert we made most often in my family when I was growing up. I'm not sure if it's the first thing I ever baked, but it was definitely right up there with my first baking experiences. I always wanted to make the crumbs and I really loved to eat a lot of crumb mixture before it made it anywhere near the fruit filling. Raw, buttery cinnamony streusel crumbs are a a rival to cookie dough in my opinion. 

Streusel is pretty good after it has been cooked too. This cake features a very generous layer of streusel, so much that you could snack on quite a bit before you add it to the cake and no one will ever suspect a thing. Go on, give it a try. 

We used to make all kinds of crumbles, but I always especially loved rhubarb. It's tart, pretty rosy pink and goes so well with toasty, cinnamony streusel. This cake reminds me of everything I loved about making rhubarb crumble as a kid, but now with a little base of vanilla cake. Crumble + cake! 

On a not entirely rhubarby note: I have just started a Patreon page for The Verdigris! Patreon is a great way to help the people make things that you enjoy keep making those things. If you would like to help me out making The Verdigris, that would be really amazing and fantastic and I would be so grateful. If you aren't able to, I'm totally thrilled that you are here and I hope you are enjoying it. 

rhubarb & crumb snack cake:

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

rhubarb layer:

• 1/2 pound rhubarb
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Toss all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. 

crumb topping:

• 1/3 cup  brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

Combine butter, sugars, cinnamon and salt and whisk until smooth. Stir in butter with a fork. Compact mixture into a solid lump of dough and crumble into pea sized clumps with your fingers. 

cake:

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces

Preheat oven to 325°. Line an 8"x8" pan with parchment paper.

Stir together sour cream egg and egg yolk in a small bowl. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and a little sour cream mixture. Mix until flour is evenly moistened. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two additions, while mixing on low. Scrape down bowl and mix briefly again. 

Spread 2/3 cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle rhubarb overtop and spoon remaining cake batter over top. Don't worry about covering all the rhubarb, just blob it on. Sprinkle crumbs over top. 

Bake for 45-60 minutes (mine took closer to an hour) or until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool cake before cutting into squares. 

strawberry rhubarb financiers

Happy spring to you! Well, to those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I don't want to be hemispherist. Happy Fall if you live on the southern half of the planet.  If you live at the equator, which seasons do you go with? Is it Spring, Fall? Neither? Both? I know that there are less dramatic seasonal changes on the equator, but still. What season is it?

Anyway, it's spring!  In this particular chunk of the Northern Hemisphere, cherry blossoms are blossoming in a comforting way, that signals that winter's grip on us has loosened and it won't last forever. And when spring comes, so does rhubarb. Seeing it growing in the garden fills is so hopeful; I love the alien little ball of anemic, pale and slightly slimy leaves, poking through the dirt. 

Financiers are little French almond teacakes. They are pretty casual and unfussy as far as French pattiserie goes. If you happen to be in Paris, or anywhere else with a Maison Kayser, I strongly recommend a bag of their pistachio financiers.  They are so buttery, so pistachio-y. I have tried, but never quite managed, to replicate their glorious pistachiosity. If you aren't currently in Paris, New York or Tokyo (boo) then you can make them at home. They are really easy to make, and they can easily convert to being gluten free with a flour swap, or use hazelnuts or pistachios in place of almonds if you prefer. These ones are are crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside and with lovely little strawberry rhubarb centres. 

More financiers: apple & hazelnut, raspberry & caramelized white chocolate

strawberry rhubarb compote: 

• 3 cups rhubarb, chopped

• 2 cups strawberries, quartered

• 1/3 cup sugar (or a bit more, to taste)

• 1 tsp vanilla

Cook all ingredients together over medium low heat, until rhubarb is falling apart. Strain liquid off the compote and set aside for another use, like a tasty spring cocktail. The compote and syrup can be stored in fridge for around a week, or in the freezer for a couple months. 

strawberry rhubarb financiers: 

adapted from cannelle et vanille

• 120 grams egg whites

• 125 grams sugar

• 55 grams all purpose flour or white rice flour

• 25 grams almond meal

• 30 grams hazelnuts, toasted and ground into meal

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 150 grams butter, melted and cooled (browning the butter will add extra nuttiness!)

• 1/2 cup strawberry rhubarb compote

Combine sugar, flour, nut meals and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add egg whites and stir to combine. Stir in butter, cover bowl with plastic wrap and age in the fridge overnight. 

Generously grease financier tins or muffin tins. Fill with batter; only about 1/2 inch high if you are using muffin tins, up to the brim if you are using financier tins. Put 2 tsp of compote in the centre of each financier. 

Bake at 375°F for about ten minutes, until the centres are set and the edges are browned. Cool and then run a knife around the edge of the tins and gently remove the financiers.

snickers cake

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is very polarizing; it inspires strong feelings in both directions. I love chocolate and peanut butter together but I know lots of people who don't. According to a highly scientific poll I took of a couple people who dislike chocolate and peanut butter, chocolate and peanuts are a much less controversial combo. Confirmed chocolate & PB haters got enthusiastically on board with this cake, which is loaded with salty peanuts but is not at all peanut buttery. It's inspired by snickers bars with chocolate cake layers, caramel frosting with caramel drizzle on top and lots of peanuts. I have taken some liberties with the snickers theme and amped up the salt, using salted roasted peanuts and salty caramel.

Note: I used two 6 inch cake pans for this cake, which makes four cake layers with some extra batter left over. The batter freezes well and you can thaw it later and use it to bake some cupcakes.

chocolate cake: 

from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups hot water
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tps baking powder
• 1 tps baking soda
• large pinch salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream and set aside. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening for 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and beat again. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture, beating in between additions. 

Grease two 6 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Divide the batter between the pans, reserving a third of the batter for later. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cakes cool before removing from their pans. Run a paring knife along the edge of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan edges before removing from the pan.

When the cakes are entirely cool (or even better, cold from the fridge) carefully divide each cake into two layers with a long bread knife. 

salty caramel: 

adapted from sally's baking addiction

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup salted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 or 3 (or more!)  teaspoons salt

Melt sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring until fully dissolved. Continue stirring constantly until sugar is deep gold. Add butter and stir until incorporated into sugar.  Still stirring, add cream in a slow stream. Sugar will bubble up. Continue cooking for one minute and then remove from heat. 

The caramel can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. 

caramel frosting: 

adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water 
• 5 egg whites or 1/2 cup + 2tbs pasteurized egg whites (the kind that come in a box)
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 vanilla bean's innards or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Using a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature, continue boiling until the mixture reaches 238°. 

As the sugar is boiling, whip the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. The goal is to get the egg whites stiff when the sugar reaches 238°; if they are getting close to stiff but the syrup isn't close I turn the mixer to low until the syrup is nearly up to temperature. 

Once the sugar syrup is up to temperature, turn mixer up to high and pour the syrup into the egg whites in a very thin stream. Lower speed to low and beat until the outside of the mixer bowl is no longer warm to the touch. Add butter in small chunks, about 2-3 tbs butter at a time. The frosting will very likely curdle at this stage; this is normal and it should resolve if you keep beating long enough. Just keep on beating!

Once the frosting comes together again, add the vanilla and mix thoroughly, scrapping down the bowl. Then add caramel gradually until it's very caramely and is a nice caramel colour. Taste as you go to and adjust caramel levels as desired. 

assembly: 

• chocolate cake layers
• caramel
• caramel frosting 
• lots of salted peanuts, roughly chopped

If you have one, assemble the cake on a turntable or a cake stand. 

Lay out cake layers and using an offset spatula, spread frosting in an even layer over one cake layer. Drizzle caramel over the frosting and sprinkle on a handful of peanuts. Place another cake layer on top and continue to frost and layer the remaining cake layers in the same way.

Frost the top and outside of the cake quickly and roughly, covering all exposed cake. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes to set up the frosting. Spread more frosting all over the cake, smoothing it with a bench scraper held against the edge of the cake while you turn the turntable. 

Pour the remaining caramel over the cake so it drips down he side. Top with the remaining peanuts. 

Woosh!

Photos: Tyrel Hiebert