Mini Lemon Layer Cake for Two
Makes: 2 servings
 
Light and fluffy lemon layer cake slathered with delicious cream cheese frosting. This cake is sized perfectly for two people!
Ingredients
  • Lemon Cake:
  • 73g (~1/2 cup + 5 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
  • 1½g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
  • 1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
  • 28g (2 tablespoons) plain greek yogurt (I used fat free)
  • 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) milk (I used skim)
  • 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice (~1/2 of a lemon)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (~1/2 lemon)
  • 2½ milliliters (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
  • 57g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • 80g (~6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • 50g (~1 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
  • Cream Cheese Icing
  • 85g light or regular cream cheese, cold
  • 71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter,  at room temperature
  • 160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 2½ milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
  • ½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
  1. Lemon Cake:
  2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour two four-inch cake pans (lining the bottom of each pan with parchment paper will make for easier removal as well); set aside
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
  4. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla; set aside
  5. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for several minutes or until light and fluffy; at this point you can’t really overbeat the batter, you want to get as much lightness at this stage as you can; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
  6. Add egg and beat at medium speed for one minute; scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula
  7. Reduce speed to low and slowly add ½ of flour mixture and then all of the wet ingredients; finish with the remaining flour mixture and remove from mixer immediately (there should still be lumps in the batter)
  8. Gently fold batter so that you can no longer see any dry ingredients but there are still some small lumps; do not overmix
  9. Evenly distribute batter between cake pans
  10. Bake 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center; do not overbake
  11. Set aside to cool and prepare frosting
  12. Cream Cheese Icing
  13. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and shortening on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy; make sure there are no clumps from the cream cheese
  14. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add one cup of powdered sugar; beat on high speed until combined; repeat with additional cup of sugar
  15. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for one minute and then on high speed for at least five minutes and until frosting is light and creamy
  16. Once cake has cooled and icing is ready, use a flat metal spatula to frost the first layer of cake; top with second layer and frost outside of cake
Notes
Adapted from these lemon cupcakes
Store cake in refrigerator and store at room temperature (best enjoyed within 24 hours but can be eaten within 4 days)
For additional lemon flavor, add some lemon zest to the frosting; just add it at the beginning with the butter and cream cheese
Recipe by Keep It Sweet Desserts at http://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/mini-lemon-layer-cake-for-two/