Alabama Lemon "Cheese" Cake

[bloodbought]

Alabama Lemon "Cheese" Cake

Serves 16

Many Southerners remember this cake from childhood, but it’s rarely found on tables today. There is no cheese in the recipe and it’s not even distantly related to a cheesecake. This heirloom is simply white cake iced with lemon curd. Published lemon cheese recipes are scarce in all formats. Even an online search turns up more New York style cheesecakes than it does this Southern classic. It’s properly pronounced with no space or breath between lemon and cheese.






3h prep time

27m cook time

373 calories


INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (12 oz) jar lemon curd (recipe for homemade below)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.


In another bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each addition. Add milk and vanilla and stir again. Add dry ingredients to wet a little at a time, stirring as you go.


In another bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each addition. Add milk and vanilla and stir again. Add dry ingredients to wet a little at a time, stirring as you go.


Divide batter between 3 greased 8" cake pans, lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until knife inserted in centers comes out clean.


Allow cakes to cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan to cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Place cake in refrigerator to chill for 2 hours. Remove parchment paper if stuck to bottoms of cakes.


When ready to frost add first cake to serving dish. If cakes have risen unevenly cut off non-visible areas to make them more level using a bread knife and a sawing motion.


Place 2 tablespoons lemon curd on top of first cake. Add second cake on top and add another 2 tablespoons lemon curd. Add top cake layer and add remaining lemon curd on top and sides of cake.

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Lemon Curd



1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

12 large egg yolks, beaten



Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and next 2 ingredients. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the warm butter mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk well to combine. Whisking constantly, whisk egg yolks into the butter mixture in the saucepan. Place over low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until 170˚ is reached, about 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl placed over an ice water bath. Whisk to cool curd to room temperature. This prevents the yolks from curdling while cooling. Whisk well if curd develops a layer on top while sitting.

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