Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- ¼ Teaspoon Lemon Extract
- 4 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- ½ Stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 large eggs
- 2 c Cake Flour, Plus 6 Tablespoons Cake Flour
- 1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- ¼ Teaspoon Lemon Extract
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c milk
- 3 c blueberries
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper, butter paper and dust with flour. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon flour mixture to large bowl. Add fresh blueberries and toss to cover. Set remaining flour mixture and blueberries aside.
- Stir whole milk, vanilla extract and lemon peel in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each, just until blended. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter equally among pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Peel off parchment paper.
- Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, if necessary.
- Assembly: Transfer 1 cake layer to platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over cake layer. Top with another layer, spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before continuing.) Garnish cake with lemon peel strips, if desired and serve.
