My sister´s B-day cake - La Tarta de Cumpleaños de mi Hermana

Mi hermana celebró su cumpleaños hace un par de semanas. En una cena con sus íntimos y su hermana (la que escribe) celebro sus 34 añitos!

Aunque en el menú había platos sabrosos, no cabe duda que la estrella de la noche fue la tarta. El nombre original: Double layered lemon cake. Para abreviar: tarta de limón.

A mi hermana le gusta tanto el limón como a mi, así que no fue difícil decidir que esta seria “su tarta”.

¿Lo mejor de la tarta? Hacerla con mi hermana. La cocina me ha devuelto una relación con mi hermana que hace tiempo no teníamos.

Entre mis ausencia de España y el echo de que tenemos pocos intereses comunes, nuestra relación nunca fue muy fraternal.

Pero ha sido la cocina , el disfrute de comer y la energía de mi hermana lo que nos ha vuelto a unir. ¡¡¿Veis como la cocina es pura terapia?!!

Volviendo a la tarta. Dos bizcochos de limón, emborrachados con un almíbar de limón, relleno de “lemon curd” y cubierta en merengue. Se me hace la boca agua!

Aquí os pongo la receta

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Mi sister B-day was a couple of weeks ago. She had a nice dinner party for close friends and her sis´(writing) to celebrate her 34^th birthday.

Although in the menu there were delicious plates, without a dude, the star of the night was the cake. A beautiful Double Layered Lemon Cake.

My sister likes lemon as much as I do, so it was not difficult to pick this particular cake.

The best thing of this cake? Baking it with my sister. Cooking has give me back a relationship with my sister that we have not had for a long time.

Me not being around and the fact that we do not have many common interests did not really help to our sisterhood.

But it has been cooking, the joy of eating and my sister energy what has got us back together. I told you cooking was therapy!!

Going back to the cake. Two layers of lemon cake, lemon syrup, lemon curd and whipped frosting. Mouth watering!!

Here you have the recipe.

Ingredients

Serves 12

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans,

tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time.

Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes.

Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.

While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan.

Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate.

Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.

Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

Whipped Frosting

Ingredients

3 large egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, combine 3 large egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, a pinch salt and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved (or mixture registers 150 on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until glossy, stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes; reduce speed to low, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, and beat just until combined. Use immediately.

The Therapy

When my cousin told me about writing a blog, I new I did not want to have another blog just with recipes. Let´s face it: I like cooking but I am not a professional.

I though it was more interesting to tell why I cook, what I cook and how it makes me feel.

Cooking, and specially baking, has on me a kind of a therapeutic effect. After a long trip, a crazy day at work or any up and down .... going to the kitchen simply brings my feet on the ground.

When there is nothing sure I know for sure that flour, butter, buttermilk and milk make delicious biscuits.

My favourite recipes are simple,tasty and cosy ..... like the important things in life, right? Don´t expect crazy fancy food!!

I hope you enjoy my trips, my tips (if I might) and mostly my cooking!

M