Question 1

Does the Kind of Confectioners Sugar in Buttercream Matter?

Accepted Answer

Surprisingly, the kind of confectioners sugar used in buttercream does make a difference! Buttercream recipes should not have a gritty or grainy texture. If they do, it's likely the result of the confectioners sugar.

We’ve had great results with Dominos confectioners sugar over the years. Some brands of confectioners sugar don’t work as well with buttercream frosting recipes.

If a package doesn’t say pure cane sugar, it contains beet sugar which is more likely to give you a grainy outcome.

However, we’ve noticed that sometimes even brands that say “Pure Cane Sugar” will result in a grainy consistency. The anti-caking agent used in the sugar could also be the culprit. It’s hard to know without a little experimenting to find the brand that gives a smooth, creamy result every time.

We use Dominos or US Sugar (from Costco) and never have grainy buttercream. I'm sure there are other brands that work well also, but these are our go-to.

Question 2

Do you Have to use Lemon Extract in Lemon Cake?

Accepted Answer

Because our cake recipe calls for lemon juice and lemon zest, and we are often asked if lemon extract is really necessary.

My answer is yes! Without the extract, the cake will still have a faint lemony flavor, but unfortunately, a lot of the lemon flavor bakes out--especially when it comes to lemon juice.

The oils contained in the lemon zest do add brightness and flavor to the cake but not in the same way that extract does.

As with anything else, it comes down to personal preference. If you'd like to try the recipe without lemon extract sometime, you can still add more flavor to the cake with a lemony simply syrup or glaze.

Question 3

What does Cream Cheese do for Cakes?

Accepted Answer

The softened cream cheese in the cake batter of this recipe adds richness and a velvety soft texture. We love cakes with this ingredient!

Some of our favorites are: Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Vanilla Velvet Cake, White Velvet Cake, and so many more!

Lemon Mascarpone Cake is another delicious example which uses mascarpone instead of cream cheese. The two kinds of cheese are very similar but mascarpone doesn't have the tanginess of cream cheese.

Question 4

Does Lemon Velvet Cake need to be Refrigerated?

Accepted Answer

If you are using the same fillings that we did, with lemon curd and whipped cream, this cake needs to be refrigerated.

Keep the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

However, for best taste and texture, remove the cake from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving. This gives the cake plenty of time to warm and soften.

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