Lemon Praline Cake

This tart and crunchy Lemon Praline Cake is a lemon lover’s fix! Lemon buttercream and lemon curd nestled over a honey sponge cake. Then you add the pralines…….excuse me, I have to go make this cake NOW!

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey

Pralines:

• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Lemon Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Lemon Curd (You can use jarred if you do not want to make your own)

• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan, line with parchment paper and grease again.
2. In a medium bowl sift the flour and baking powder 3 times. Reserve.
3. Whisk egg and sugar with an electric mixer over high speed for 8-10 minutes, or until pale, thick and tripled in volume.
4. Sift half the flour mixtures over the egg mixture and gently fold with a spoon. Repeat with the remaining flour.
5. Mix to combine butter and honey. Add to cake batter and gently fold.
6. Pour batter into the baking pan and bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until golden and springy. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Prepare the pralines:

1. Increase the oven temperature to 400º F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Sprinkle sugar evenly on the baking tray. Cook for 12- 15 minutes, or until sugar is melted and golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle almonds over the melted sugar. Allow to cool. When cooled break the praline into pieces and process in a food processor until fine.

Prepare the frosting:

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter for 8 – 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar gradually, beating after each addition. Beat in lemon extract ,salt, and heavy whipping cream until desired spreading consistency is reached, about 2 minutes.

Prepare Lemon Curd:

1. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, eggs, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until thick enough to hold marks from whisk, and first bubble appears on surface, about 6 minutes.

Assemble the cake:

1. Carefully cut the sponge cake horizontally into 2 equal parts. Trim the edges if necessary to make it even. Spread lemon curd, frosting, then a second layer of lemon curd over one layer and sprinkle with pralines. Repeat with the other layer, finishing with a layer of frosting and pralines.