Lemon Cake

• 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
• Whipped Frosting

(When making frosting, substitute 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for the vanilla extract.)

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 THIS STEP: Buttering and Lining Cake Pans
3. 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.
4. IN THIS STEP: How to Juice Citrus
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Cheese Cake

Ingredients 

FOR CRUST

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
• 12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

FOR FILLING

• 2 1/2 pounds bar cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. 
3. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. 
4. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. 
5. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
6. Set a kettle of water to boil. 
7. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. 
8. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. 
9. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. 
10. Beat in sour cream.
11. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. 
12. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. 
13. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. 
14. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. 
15. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

Simple Plain Cake

• 4 eggs
•  3/4 cup white sugar
•  1 cup butter, melted 
•  3 cups self-rising flour
•  1 cup raisins (optional)
•  1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
•  3 apples - peeled, cored and diced (optional)

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Add sugar into melted butter, stir until sugar is melted and blended with butter. 
3. Beat in eggs. Stir in self-rising flour bit by bit until mixture is well blended. 
4. Stir in one of the optional ingredients, if desired, according to your own taste to add special flavor to your cake.

Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven

Simple White Cake

• 1 cup white sugar 
•  1/2 cup butter 
•  2 eggs 
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
•  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
•  1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 

 Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Stir in the milk until batter is smooth. 

Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. [For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes.]