Lemon Huckleberry Cake with Huckleberry Curd

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Lemon Huckleberry Cake with Huckleberry Curd

Prep Time1

Cook Time40

Chill Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 899kcal

Author: Kayla Zenner

Ingredients

Huckleberry Curd

1 cup huckleberries
1 Zest and juice of lemon
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks save the whites for the cake
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup salted butter cut into small cubes

Lemon Cake

4 cups Cake Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon Lemon Zest
2 ½ cups granulated Sugar
½ cup Salted Butter room temperature
½ cup Oil I used avocado oil
4 large Eggs room temperature
2 Egg Whites room temperature, leftover from the curd
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Almond Extract
¾ cup Sour Cream room temperature
1 cup Buttermilk room temperature
⅓ cup Lemon Juice room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup Salted Butter room temperature
4 cups Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
16 oz Cream Cheese

Instructions

Huckleberry Curd

Make sure to start this first. It will need time to cool and set while the cake bakes.
In a small saucepan add blueberries and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture has come together.
Mash the huckleberries then pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
Add 2 inches of water to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
To a medium heat safe bowl add the blueberry mixture, eggs, egg yolks, and sugar, and lemon juice. Whisk together and place on top of the saucepan, whisking constantly so you do not cook the eggs. Continue to whisk until the consistency becomes pudding-like (or reached 170-180 degrees F), about 10-15 minutes. Once this consistency is reached, remove from heat and add in butter. Whisk until melted, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator set.

Lemon Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
Add lemon zest and sugar into a large bowl. Combine the lemon zest into the sugar with your hands for about 2-3 minutes, this helps the lemon flavor really get in there.
Add in room temperature butter and oil. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
Then add eggs, egg whites, sour cream, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix on low until fully incorporated prior to adding more.
In a small bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix to the wet mixture until just combined. Then add buttermilk and lemon juice until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Divide batter equally between the two pans and bake for 40-45 minutes. You know the cake is baked when a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cakes are cooling make the cream cheese frosting.
To a large bowl (I like to use my stand mixer for this) add the butter and cream cheese and beat on low speed for about 1-2 minutes or until the mixture begins to come together.
Then add in the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mixing on low until the mixture comes together then turn up to medium and beat for 5-10 minutes. Until fluffy and smooth. Scraping the bowl a few times during the process.

Assemble the Cake

Cut each cooled cake layer in half. You will have 4 total layers.
Place one cake layer onto a cake stand. Add a boarder of cream cheese frosting to the edge of the cake and then add huckleberry curd to the center. You will likely have extra curd, be careful to not eat it all by the spoonful.
Repeat with the second and third layers.
Then place the fourth cake layer on top, adding a thin layer of cream cheese frosting to the cake before placing in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This crumb coat will help you get a clean frosting
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and finish frosting the cake.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour for best texture.

Notes

Rub that zest into the sugar. I know it seems like an extra step but it makes such a big difference in lemon flavor. Give it a solid 2-3 minutes with your hands and you will smell exactly why it matters.

Keep the whisk moving for the curd. The whole time that bowl is over simmering water, you need to be whisking. If you stop, you risk scrambled eggs instead of silky curd. Set a timer and stay with it - 10 to 15 minutes goes fast!

Everything room temperature for the cake. Butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice all need to be at room temp. Cold ingredients cause the batter to look lumpy and can affect the final texture.

Don't skip the crumb coat. That thin layer of frosting you put on before chilling is what gives you a clean, smooth finish on the outside. Skipping it means crumbs in your final frosting layer, which is frustrating!

Press plastic wrap directly onto the curd. When you cover it to refrigerate, press the plastic wrap right onto the surface of the curd. This stops a skin from forming on top.

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