Recipe - Lemon Ginger Cake Wlemon-Cream Cheese F

CAKE
2 cup Sugar
Three fourths cup (1 One half sticks) unsalted
butter; room temperature
4 lg Eggs
3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 cup Cake flour
1 tablespoon Ground ginger
1 teaspoon Cinnamon (?)
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
One half teaspoon Salt
1 One fourth cup Buttermilk

FROSTING
11 ounce Cream cheese; room
temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter;
room temperature
3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoon Grated lemon peel
1 One fourth teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 Three fourths cup Powdered sugar; sifted

From: Brenda Pittsley brendap@CORBIS.COM

Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 09:22:00 PDT
Whenever you serve this lightly spiced, moist buttermilk layer cake you'll
turn dessert into a celebration. The spices in the cake mellow as it
stands, so it's even better the day after baking.

For Cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 °F. Butter two
9inch diameter cake pans with 2inchhigh sides. Line bottom of pans with
waxed paper; butter paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in
large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after
each addition. Mix in lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla (mixture may look
curdled). Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt
into medium bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3
additions each, beginning with dry ingredients.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and
tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Transfer pans to racks. Cool 10 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut
around sides of pan to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool
completely. Peel off waxed paper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap
tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

For Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter lemon juice,
2 teaspoons lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered
sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top. Place
remaining cake layer atop. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting
over sides and top of cake in decorative swirls. Sprinkle top of cake with
remaining 1 teaspoon lemon peel. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with
cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes
before serving.) 12