# Components:
→ Cake
01 - All-purpose flour — 2 1/2 cups
02 - Baking powder — 2 teaspoons
03 - Baking soda — 1/2 teaspoon
04 - Salt — 1/2 teaspoon
05 - Unsalted butter, room temperature — 1 cup
06 - Granulated sugar — 1 3/4 cups
07 - Large eggs, room temperature — 4
08 - Lemon zest — zest of 2 lemons
09 - Fresh lemon juice — 1/3 cup
10 - Whole milk — 1 cup
11 - Vanilla extract — 2 teaspoons
→ Lemon-pistachio frosting
12 - Unsalted butter, room temperature — 1 cup
13 - Cream cheese, room temperature — 4 ounces
14 - Powdered sugar, sifted — 3 1/2 cups
15 - Lemon zest — zest of 1 lemon
16 - Fresh lemon juice — 2 tablespoons
17 - Finely ground unsalted pistachios — 1/2 cup
18 - Salt — pinch
→ Decoration
19 - Roughly chopped pistachios — 1/2 cup
20 - Lemon zest — zest of 1 lemon
21 - Edible flowers or spring sprinkles — optional
# Method steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Mix the lemon juice with the milk. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and the lemon-milk mixture to the butter mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto cooling racks and cool completely.
08 - Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in batches, then fold in lemon zest, lemon juice, finely ground pistachios and a pinch of salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter, spread a generous layer of frosting, then repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a crumb coat, chill briefly if needed, then finish frosting the top and sides.
10 - Decorate the finished cake with chopped pistachios, additional lemon zest and optional edible flowers or sprinkles. Chill for 30 minutes to set before slicing for clean layers.
