Lemon Cream Butter Cake

As I've previously disclosed, I have a problem with lemon squares. My self-control is completely non-existent, which means I not only end up with powdered sugar all over my shirt, but may no longer fit into said shirt. Despite my reservations, I caved to the call of a lemon cream butter cake recipe I found on Pinterest. A few weeks ago, I made Momofuku's butter cake, but in a tragic turn of events, it collapsed. (I blame my ancient gas stove's lack of a thermometer.) Although it was too hideous to blog about, it was delicious enough for me to devour. I simply HAD to make the lemon version.

The lemon butter cake isn't quite as addictive as Momofuku's butter cake (probably a good thing), perhaps because it requires only about a quarter of the butter. Less intense than most butter cakes, it tastes like a cross between lemon cake and cheesecake. The texture is dense, but it doesn't weigh down the fresh citrus flavor. As my coworker described it, "Indulgent as cake, sinful-feeling as cheesecake, but lightened and brightened by the lemon." 

Lemon Cream Butter Cake
From Blackjack Bakehouse

Cake 
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Zest of two lemons


Filling
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of ½ lemon
1 cup powdered sugar


Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to  325°F. Grease a 9" springform pan. 
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and zest, and stir until just combined. (Do not overmix.)
3. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Set aside.
4. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium-high until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Add the butter, lemon extract, and vanilla, and beat until combined.
5. Pour the cream-cheese filling over the cake batter, leaving about ½" of the cake batter exposed around the edges. 
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are puffed up and a toothpick poked into the edge comes out clean. 
7. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool for an hour. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.