Lemon layer cake with blueberries

                                            

 

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE

  • Vegetable oil, cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• FOR THE LEMON CURD

  • 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon, plus 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups blueberries, lightly crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Coat two 8-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. Spray parchment; set aside.
   
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, the milk, oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside.
   
3. Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
   
4. Add half of the flour mixture to the milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the egg white mixture. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out cakes onto rack. Remove parchment; reinvert. Let cool completely.
   
5. Make the lemon curd: Put egg yolks
   into a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
   Whisk together lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch,
   and salt in a medium saucepan.
   Add 1 1/2 cups water and the lemon juice;
   whisk until sugar and cornstarch have
   dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high
   heat, whisking constantly. Cook 2
   minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low;
   gradually whisk one-third of the lemon
   mixture into the reserved egg yolks. Pour mixture into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 1/2 minutes.
   
6. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl; place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until firm and cold, at least 1 hour (up to 1 day).
   
7. Fold blueberries into curd; set aside. Trim top and bottom of one cake to be flat. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Set untrimmed bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup curd. Repeat with trimmed halves for second and third layers. Top with untrimmed top layer. Dust with confectioners' sugar.