1/2cup1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature3/4 cup sugar
2large eggs
1/2cupwhole milk
1tsp.vanilla extract
1/2tsp.grated lemon peelzest
1 1/2cupsfresh blueberriesabout two half-pint packages
FROSTING
1 8-oz.package cream cheeseroom temperature
6T.3/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2cupspowdered sugar
1/2teaspoongrated lemon peelzest
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven ton 350 degrees. Butter three 6-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour.
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
Combine the milk, vanilla and lemon zest and set aside. Rinse the blueberries and pat dry. Grab 1 1/2 tsp. of the flour mixture and toss the blueberries with it until the berries are all coated.
Beat the butter on medium to high speed with a mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Turn the mixer speed to low, and alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture in three equal portions each, until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix or use a high speed as that can cause the cake batter to toughen.
Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, then divide among the three cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, and allow the layers to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove them from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack. Peel the parchment paper from the bottoms of the layers.
Make frosting (recipe below).
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
If the frosting seems too runny or floppy to spread, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes to firm it up.
To frost the cake, place one layer on a platter and spread about 1/3 cup of frosting on the top. Add another layer, and spread another 1/3 of frosting on the top. Then, add the third layer, and frost the top and the sides of the cake. Garnish with thin, twisted lemon slices and fresh blueberries if desired.
Notes
[NOTE: If you’d like to make the full-size version of this cake with 9-inch cake pans, either refer to the original recipe or double the ingredients listed above.]