1¼ cup all-purpose sifted flour
1½ cup sifted cake flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1½ cup of sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract
2 tsp pure lemon extract
3 large eggs
1½ cup buttermilk
zest of two small or one large lemon, grated and finely chopped
FOR THE GLAZE
8 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
2 cups unsalted butter
1 tsp pure lemon extract
1 tsp chopped lemon zest (optional)
about 4 tbsp milk
Grease and flour 2 nine-inch cake cups and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper. Sift the two flours,
baking soda. Baking powder, salt and sugar, Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the vegetable oil, shortening, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat well at
high speed with setting the whip until light and fluffy
Beat the eggs one by one.
Stir in the lemon zest.
Stir in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in two divisions. It is very important to start and
finish the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not mix the dough too much. As soon as there are no lumps in the
batter, pour into the two 9-inch cake pans.
Bake in 325 degrees F oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the moulds for 10 minutes before unmoulding on grilles to cool completely.
FOR ICING: Mix the icing sugar, lemon zest and butter until crumbly.
Add the lemon extract and a little milk.
Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the icing to a creamy consistency.
Fill and glaze the cake. Garnish with candied lemon zest if desired.
To make candied lemon zest, remove the zest with a sharp vegetable peeler in long strips, avoiding as much of the
white marrow as possible.
Bring a cup of water and a cup of sugar to a slow boil.
Add the pieces of lemon zest and boil for about 15 minutes. Drain the lemon zest on a wire rack.
Cool, cut into strips and roll into fine sugar.
