Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Steps

1. Set the butter, cream cheese, eggs and buttermilk out to come to room temperature. Zest and juice the lemons, keeping the lemon zest and lemon juice separate.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment and grease the parchment.
3. In a bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and half of the lemon juice.
5. In a large bowl, beat 170 g of the butter (about three-fifths) with the granulated sugar and two-thirds of the lemon zest for 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
6. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
7. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two parts, mixing just until combined.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops.
9. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.
11. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the remaining butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, the remaining half of the lemon juice and the remaining third of the lemon zest until fluffy.
12. Place one layer on a plate, spread with about a third of the frosting, top with the second layer, then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
13. Chill 30 minutes to set the frosting, then cut into 12 slices. Keep leftovers in the fridge.