Perfect Party Cake for Jennie's Birthday

Today is my last day in Maine. This is a picture of Amelia and me at the park the other day. She was so cute, the other day she came over to me and said she had a secret. She whispered in my ear "don't call me Little Lia, call me Amelia!" I thought that was such a sweet way to tell me what she wanted to be called. Although I really liked Little Lia! This is the cool swing that the kids like at Belfast City Park.


This is the cake I made for Jennie's birthday the other day. It is a recipe that Jennie has made a lot, and she's said it's the best she's ever made. After making it, I totally agree! This cake is light and fluffy and so much better then a box mix, and it isn't really that much work! Jennie already had some lemon curd that she had canned, so that's what I used to fill each layer with, then I just sweetened some whipped cream with powdered sugar and added a little vanilla.

Perfect Party Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons)butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2~9" cake pans with Pam.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well mixed. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is mixed, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Beat for another 2 minutes.. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, un~mold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

I sliced Jennie's cake into four layers, then I spread each layer with lemon curd and frosted the whole thing with whipped cream.