Lemon Layer Cake (gluten Free)

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup canola oil, plus additional for greasing cake pans
• 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour (use brown-rice flour mix, recipe 208712)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon guar gum
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

Recipe

• 1 make cake layers:.
• 2 put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°f brush cake pans with canola oil. line bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with a round of parchment or wax paper, then oil paper.
• 3 whisk together flour mix, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum until combined well. stir together milk, canola oil (1 cup), vanilla, and zest in another bowl.
• 4 beat together sugar and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed just until combined, about 1 minute. reduce speed to low and add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
• 5 divide batter evenly between cake pans, smoothing tops, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
• 6 cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. run a thin knife around edge of 1 cake layer and invert rack over cake pan, then invert cake onto rack. repeat with second layer. peel off paper and cool layers completely.
• 7 make curd:.
• 8 whisk together zest, lemon juice, sugar, yolks, a pinch of salt, and guar gum in a 1-quart heavy saucepan. add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 5 minutes. whisk in extract. immediately pour curd into a bowl, then cover surface with wax paper and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
• 9 make frosting:.
• 10 beat butter with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. reduce speed to low and add confectioners sugar, lemon juice, extract, and zest, then mix until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• 11 frost cake:.
• 12 halve each cake layer horizontally using a long serrated knife. spread bottom half of each cake layer with half of lemon curd, then top with remaining cake layers to form two sandwiched cakes. put 1 sandwiched cake on a cake stand or platter and spread a heaping 1/2 cup frosting over top, then cover with remaining sandwiched cake. frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
• 13 cooks' notes:.
• 14 cake layers can be made (but not halved) 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• 15 lemon curd can be chilled up to 3 days.
• 16 cake can be completely assembled and frosted 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, or 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered. bring to room temperature before serving.