• Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans. (You could also use two 9 inch cake pans). We also like to line the bottom of our pans with parchment circles.
• Preheat the oven to 325℉
• In a separate bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt to combine, set aside for later.
• Using an electric mixer (paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), mix the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth.
• Next, gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy for three minutes.
• Add the eggs to the mixing bowl one at a time, blending after each until the yolk is incorporated.
• Combine the ¼ cup of milk, ¼ cup lemon juice, lemon extract, and zest.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk to the butter/sugar/egg mixture in the mixing bowl. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. We do three additions of dry ingredients, alternating with two additions of wet. Mix just until incorporated.
• Scoop batter into prepared 8 inch pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. *Baking times may vary! Add additional minutes as needed. The cake layers are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
• This makes approximately 9.5 cups of batter.
• Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out.

Lemon Curd

• Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (3-4 minutes).
• Boil, stirring, for 1 minute more.. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Spoon about ½ cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl with egg yolks and stir quickly until combined. Continue stirring, while pouring the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
• Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened and lemon colored (1-2 min). Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.-- Let the lemon curd cool, then press plastic wrap onto the surface, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate.
• This will fill a 2-3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake with some leftover. The recipe can be halved.
• I have refrigerated the lemon curd for a week and it was fine....I'm not sure how long it will keep beyond that
• Makes 1 ¼ cups

Whipped Cream

• Chill the mixing bowl and beaters/ whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Pour the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into the chilled mixing bowl, begin beating on low speed gradually increasing to medium high speed.
• The cream begins to thicken (approx. 1 ½ minutes) and soft peaks form. (Peaks that slightly bend over.) Watch closely as this happens quickly. Do not over mix.

Assembling the Cake

• Once the cake layers have cooled, place the first lemon pound cake layer on a cake plate or pedestal. Spread with a layer of lemon curd (ours was just a thin layer). Then, spread with whipped cream.
• Top with the next cake layer and spread with lemon curd and whipped cream. Top with the third cake layer.
• Spread the top layer with lemon curd (you may have some leftover). Then, we piped dollops of whipped cream around the top edge of the cake, and garnished with small lemon wedges. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or under a cake dome.
• The cake needs to be refrigerated because of the whipped cream and lemon curd. However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove it from the refrigerator an hour or two before serving. This will allow the cake to warm and soften.