Christmas Eve with Lemon Flavor

I love lemon deserts and so do my family. I think my sister and I get this “lemon passion” from my dad. So when I asked for suggestions for Christmas Eve dinner desert lemon was n 1º in the ranking.

Christmas Eve is a very special celebration in my family like in many Christian homes. Is great going to my parent and getting in the kitchen preparing our long time favorite recipes to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus.

Although we always enjoy the typical Christmas sweats, we like to have a nice cake as dessert. This cake works perfectly for an after dinner dessert. The texture is light and the flavor very refreshing. The lemon flavor is everywhere: in the sponge cake, the syrup, the lemon curd and the lemon meringue!

The recipe is from John Barricelli. It is easy and fairly quick to make.

I hope you like it and Merry Christmas!

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 180º. Butter and flour two 20 by 5 cm 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. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

Frosting

Ingredients

3 large egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh 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 pure vanilla extract, and beat just until combined. Use immediately.