Meyer Lemon Cake with Goat Milk Buttercream Frosting

Prep time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients

For the lemon cake:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup whole or low fat goat milk, room temperature

1/4 cup freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup goat milk butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

4 large eggs

For the lemon and goat milk buttercream frosting:

1 cup goat milk butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon finely-grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice

For garnish:

Edible flowers, such as chamomile and calendula

Thinly sliced Meyer lemons

Directions

For the lemon cake:

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. You can do this by using the inner wrapper of the goat milk butter.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the goat milk, Meyer lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Set aside for now.

Place the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand-up mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, this should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each egg has been incorporated before adding the next.

Turn the mixer to low speed, and gradually add in 1/2 of the flour mixture, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicon spatula as needed. Add 1/2 of the goat milk mixture and beat until combined.

Repeat with the remaining flour and milk mixtures. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and smooth, should take just a minute or so. Add the batter to the pan and place inside the oven. Once the cake is golden and easily springs back when the pan is pressed, it's ready. This should take about 30-40 minutes.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Then remove the cake carefully from the pan, and continue to cool.

Making and adding the lemon and goat milk buttercream frosting:

Put the goat milk butter, Meyer lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes on medium, until creamy. Scrape the side of the bowl with a silicon spatula as needed. Drop to a lower speed an add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, gradually and while using a sifter. This will prevent clumping.

Add the Meyer lemon juice and beat on medium for about two minutes. The frosting should be super fluffy and creamy. Cover until ready to use.

Get all the pro-tips on how to best frost the cake, here. Most importantly, it's best to have the cake cooled or even chilled, and to have a large offset spatula handy.

Decorate with thinly sliced Meyer lemons and edible flowers.

*An adaptation of this recipe, by The Kitchn.