I need saving!  There’s been an arctic breeze here in Maine, with wind chill factor in play.  I’m no rugged snow bunny, so I’m inside, swaddled in layers of sweats and looking for an edible cure to the winter blahs.   My cure all?  LEMON.    Sure, I like chocolate and other sweets – but nothing quite does it like lemon.  The tart citrus taste, the clean and bright smell.  It lifts the spirits.  Who the heck doesn’t like lemon?

And in my humble opinion, the perfect citrus indulgence is the Lemon Cheese Layer Cake.  I grew up calling it ‘lemon cheese cake’ – but make no mistake, this is no New York style cheesecake.  The “cheese” reference speaks to light colored cake layers with a filling of rich and buttery lemon curd.  Once all the layers are stacked and filled, the entire outside of the cake is draped in the same curd until this beauty is glistening and luscious.  And what makes this cake so unique is the fact that you can’t really buy it anywhere.  Based on my restaurant observations, an old fashioned layer cake of this caliber just doesn’t make the list of trendy desserts since it competes with the likes of fig & rosemary panna cotta or basil-berry-macadamia gelato (please note the sarcasm).

But I disagree: old fashioned layer cakes ARE special.  Like Southern debutantes at a cotillion, they are lovingly brought forth from the confines of their nurturers, then proudly paraded around for all of society to admire.  Crowds whisper their names and gossip about their looks & tastes.  Did you see that glossy Lemon Cheese Cake?  Did you taste that moist Caramel Cake?  Is that boiled chocolate icing on that Chocolate Little Layer Cake?  Is that her famous Lane Cake with the boozy kick?  Is that the Coconut Layer Cake that so-and-so had at her wedding!  And like debutantes, layer cakes have pedigrees too!  The lineage of their bakers with their secret family recipes are known throughout each community – revered, if not outright coveted.  As with all family heirlooms, those cake recipes are passed to the baking heir apparent of the next generation.

As you might surmise, the South takes its layer cakes seriously.  And those who make them best are called the “cake ladies.”  They are a special breed, those cake ladies.  They come from a different era, where sweets weren’t plucked from the bakery aisle at the local grocery; where Entenmann’s and Hostess were unknown.  They can bake and stack these cakes with the finesse of an architect.  Bragging rights are based on how many layers one can stack; less than five really doesn’t merit praise.  They come armed with vintage Tupperware cake carriers for expedient transit & distribution.  In The New York Times feature article titled “Festiveness, Stacked Up Southern Style” the layer cake is defined as “… currency, comfort and status.  Everyone knows whose cakes are tender, whose consistently reach 12 layers or more.” As for the lucky recipients of these layer cakes who get to imbibe in a slice, they are instantly taken back to their childhood where a mama or granny brightened the day with a little taste of something sweet.  Now fast forward into our internet age today, where the layer cake has its own Facebook page titled “Fans of the Layer Cake”.  Who knew?

While I would have loved to feature my mother’s own recipe for Lemon Cheese Layer Cake, it is apparently AWOL amidst a parental relocation.   Forgive me Miss Jane, but I will instead use one from another trusted source:  Chef Scott Peacock of Atlanta.  Be prepared, you’ll be using a lot of eggs.  While the yolks are for the lemon curd, the egg whites are for the cake batter.  What I hadn’t realized is that the egg whites and their protein provide sturdiness to the layer cake that might crumble otherwise.  Also, this cake is best prepared the day before serving, as it tastes better if left to “cure” overnight.  And by all means, if you have a beautiful cake stand, use it!

Looking forward:  this isn’t the last you will hear on the subject of layer cakes & the “cake ladies.”  If you have a particular favorite from your past that you feel should be featured in coming posts, drop a line and let me know!

.

“Lemon Cheese Layer Cake”

Adapted from The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock

Cake Ingredients

• 3¼ cups cake flour
• 1½ tsp cream of tartar
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 egg whites
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients

• 2¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup plus 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 12 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp salt

Yield: Makes one 4-layer cake, enough for 12-16 servings.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt onto a piece of wax paper or parchment.  Beat the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, scraping the bottom and sides once or twice, until light and fluffy.  Whisk the egg whites until blended but not foamy, then add to the batter in four batches, beating well after each addition.  Add the sifted dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, and mixing only until well blended after each addition before proceeding to the next.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again, and blend in the vanilla.

Divide the cake batter between four buttered parchment-lined baking pans.  Drop each filled cake pan gently on the kitchen counter to remove any large air pockets.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the cake layers spring back in the center when lightly tapped, or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to cooling racks, and let rest for 5 minutes before turning the cake layers onto the racks to cool completely.

Make the filling:  Put all of the filling ingredients into a non-reactive saucepan, and whisk well to blend.  Set over moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the filling thickens and a candy thermometer registers 170°F, about 10 minutes.  DO NOT allow the filling to boil or come to a simmer.  Transfer the cooked filling to a bowl, and cool to room temperature.

Place one layer on a platter or cake stand, and spread with ½ cup of the cooled lemon filling.  Top with a second cake layer and ½ cup more of the lemon filling.  Continue stacking and filling this way, using all of the remaining filling to spread over the top layer and sides of the cake.

NOTE:  Because the filling is somewhat translucent, the layers of the cake will be visible through the filling on the side. Also, because of the thin layers and generous amount of filling used, it is a good idea to use three or four wooden skewers, inserted through the layers, to prevent any sliding until the cake has fully set.  This is especially a good idea if you are planning on traveling with the cake.

PERSONAL NOTES:  With regard to the filling, I don’t have a candy thermometer.  And since this execution did not require a double boiler, I erred on the side of lower heat as I didn’t want to burn the stuff.  As a result, I was stirring for the better part of 20-25 minutes while tinkering with the heat setting.  So, just be prepared, and be patient.  Additionally, had I been more on the ball, I would have snagged a few of the wooden chopsticks that come with my sushi and use those to prop up my cake layers.   So, if you too lack those accessories, there will be some slippity-slide going on, but it will firm up as the filling sets.  My cake turned out perfectly imperfect – which I say adds to the charm & mystique of the old fashioned layer cake!

Related posts:

1. A Foodie’s Epiphany: Moravian Sugar Cake