Italian Cream Cake

After dinner at Nicola's on Saturday, Lori had tested one of the recipes for this weekends Dessert Party. This was a big hit. So luscious and light with the right spot of lemon. This will be hit at the party for sure. Meyer lemons are in the stores in Nebraska. Can't say I have ever had one before but we decided to include a few citrus recipes to take advantage of them.



Lemony Cream Butter Cake
cake layer adapted from the Ricotta Blintz Casserole  recipe in “Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes,” by Jeanne Kelley
For the cake –

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (heaping)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (which was about 1 lemon for me)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• zest of two lemons

For the cream cheese filling –

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray a 9″ springform pan with vegetable spray.
Make the filling — In a large bowl or bowl of a standmixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high to high speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Add confectioners’ sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Add butter, both extracts and lemon zest. Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Make the cake — In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest until combined. Do not overmix.
Pour batter evenly into springform pan. Carefully pour filling mixture evenly over the cake batter to within about 1/2 inch of the edge of the pan. (The filling should cover all but the outer 1/2 inch, at which point the cake batter will be visible.)
Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up and toothpick inserted near edge of cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove springform sides and allow to cool on rack for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely before serving.
Serve chilled, with a little sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar.