MARTHA STEWART LEMON CURD RECIPES

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Steps:

• In the bowl of your mixer beat the butter until smooth,  blend in the lemon extract and zest. Add 1/2 of the powdered sugar and 1/2 of the milk and mix at medium speed until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and gradually add the milk.  You can also add a touch of lemon yellow coloring gel at this point if you would like more color. Mix at medium speed 3 to 5 minutes scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.  At the end of mixing, slow down the mixer to very low speed for a minute or two, this will help to eliminate air pockets in the buttercream. Yield:  6 cups  - enough to fill and frost a 3 layer 8 inch cake Can be frozen in an air tight container for at least 3 months.  Thaw on countertop and remix If your buttercream is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If the consistency is to thick, add a bit more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.