Sweet Kitchen Cravings

0 Lemon Curd: Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan, rubbing the mixture between your fingers to help release the oils. Add the egg yolks and salt and whisk together until the mixture lightens in color.
1 Slowly stream in the lemon juice while whisking and mix until combined.
2 Place the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until it thickens and reaches at least 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (up to 180°F for a thicker curd), about 7-10 minutes. The curd should coat the back of a spoon, and when you run your finger through it, the line should hold its shape without the curd running through it.
3 Remove the pan from the heat and strain the curd with a fine mesh sieve to filter out the lemon zest. Stir in the cubes of butter until melted and fully combined. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until completely chilled. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
4 Lemon Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” x 9” square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper to create a sling, with an overhang on all four sides.
5 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and lemon zest on low speed to release the oils from the zest.
6 Add the butter and oil, then cream the mixture at medium speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for one additional minute.
7 Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, combining well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.
8 Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in about half the lemon juice. Mix just until combined, then scrape the bowl. Add the remaining flour and slowly stream in the remaining lemon juice with the mixer running on low speed until combined.
9 Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch (or a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs).
10 Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan. Place the cake on a wire rack to finish cooling to room temperature.
11 Once the cake is completely cool, use the end of a wooden spoon or a wooden dowel to poke several holes into the top of the cake. Fill a piping bag with the chilled lemon curd and cut a small hole in the tip. Pipe the lemon curd into each of the holes in the cake, reserving some for the top of the cake. Use a small offset spatula to smooth any excess lemon curd across the top of the cake.
12 Lemon Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed until combined, then slowly increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the frosting thickens and forms medium-stiff peaks.
13 Add the whipped cream on top of the cake and spread it to the edges. Spoon on dollops of the remaining lemon curd and use the back of a spoon to swirl it into the frosting. Slice, serve, and enjoy!