Lemon Velvet Cake

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE any kind of lemon cake. With Easter approaching you will definitely want to give this recipe a try.

You will need:

1 1/ 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/ 2 cups sifted cake flour
1/ 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/ 2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/ 2 cups sugar
2/ 3 cup vegetable oil
1/ 3 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp pure lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 1/ 2 cups buttermilk Zest of two small or one large lemon, grated and finely chopped

For the Frosting:

4 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar 1 cups unsalted butter 1 tsp pure lemon extract 1 tsp minced lemon zest, optional 2 tbsp milk, approximately

Method:

Grease and flour 2 nine inch round cake pans.

Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.

In the bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the vegetable oil, shortening, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy.

Beat the eggs in one at a time. Fold in the lemon zest.

Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.

Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared nine-inch cake pans.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To prepare the Frosting:

Mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and butter until it becomes sort of crumbly.

Add the lemon extract and a little of the milk. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the frosting to a creamy spreadable consistency. Fill and frost the cake. Garnish with candied lemon zest if desired. Tip: To make two cups of cake-andpastry flour (cake flour), combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup cornstarch; proceed with your recipe. The easiest way to do this substitution is to put 2 tbsp of cornstarch in the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill the cup as usual with all-purpose flour and level top.