Going away lemon Cake for a friend

Sadly, in our youth group one of our members will be moving on for the summer to experience new ways in different camps and having many new experiences in different work forces.

   I am baking him a lemon cake next Wednesday. I am looking into two recipes and not sure which one to do as of right now but I am sure that whatever I do end up making will be good. The one I am looking into looks like this.

I will try and make it to look as much as the original as I can. I am thinking since we have quite a few members in our youth group that I might have to split it up and not make it layered. It would be best separate for this occasion. If we run out of cake I was also thinking of making some extra lemon cupcakes to go along with them. Good idea?

Here is the Recipe from the website (I may make a few modifications)

 Lemon Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
4. While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.
5. Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

(And for the whipped frosting)

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and water. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved (or mixture registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until glossy, stiff peaks form (do not over beat), about 3 minutes; reduce speed to low, add vanilla extract, and beat just until combined. Use immediately.

Hopefully this cake turns out well for me, I haven't made this type before. I am sure all will go well. I will post more pictures on next week and I make the cake. :)

Okay, first of, he loved the cake. The whole group enjoyed the two lemon cakes that I prepared for them. It was all gone by the end. Okay, so maybe I did go around from person to persona asking them if they would like seconds and some...thirds. Haha. needless to say, it was a pretty good day...everyone loved their cake and I even tried a a little piece of it and it wasn't bad. Most find it strange that I do not like cake. I like to make it but never really enjoyed the taste of it. I know, I'm weird. For Nate's miniature Cake, I made it using a simple vanilla cake, topped with a fresh lemon buttercream frosting, garnished with lemon slices. He appreciated it and saved the other half for breakfast. It was a good day and the outcome was even better than I expected