Summer Lemon Blonde Cake

My girls, Julie at White Lights On Wednesday

and Jen at Four Marrs and One Venus

are at it again with their

Get Your Chef On Challenge.


The secret ingredient for this round is

 

Beer!

Well, since Mr. B is a card carrying member of the

American Home Brewers Association,

meaning he makes his own beer,

I just had to enter!

I also knew that I had to use my absolute favorite of his brews,

Summer Lemon Blonde.

 This is a refreshing and light tasting beer with just a hint of lemon flavor.

I call it a "back porch" style of beer because it's perfect for sipping on

on a warm summer evening after you've been working in the yard.

Just like Mr. B put on the label!

In my search for the perfect recipe I came across this one

from The Beeroness

for a Lemon Pilsner Cake.

Seriously, what is not to love? 

You know me and my "thing" for lemons.

Plus, using Mr. B's Summer Lemon Blonde could only amp up the flavor, right?

You can use any quality, light flavored beer (NOT light beer! C'mon, we're making a cake here, not some diet salad!).

I know there are some lemon flavored beers available too, so,

I would personally suggest something along those lines.

But, if not available, just use a good beer.

Cooking with beer is like cooking with wine,

only use something you would drink straight out of the bottle.

So, here you go, my entry into the Get Your Chef On Challenge,

Summer Lemon Blonde Cake
(Adapted from a recipe from The Beeroness)

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon zest

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 average sized lemon)

1/2 cup Summer Lemon Blonde Beer

Grease and flour a large loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest until well mixed.

In the bowl of  stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl between additions. Add the lemon juice and mix until well combined. Turn the mixer on low and add the flour a bit at a time until just barely combined, do not over mix.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the beer, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until the top turns a light golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the loaf pan.

For the icing I went with my own favorite cream cheese frosting and used beer for the liquid:

½ cup (1 stick) butter at room temp
8 oz. cream cheese at room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
1 to 4 Tablespoons Summer Lemon Blonde Beer

Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
Slowly add the beer, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don’t add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when used on the cake.)
Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

 Serve well chilled, just like your beer.

This is the perfect Spring or Summer dessert!

Full of lemony flavor and, don't worry, no beer taste at all!

I'd love to hear if you try this recipe.

And, I'd love it if you'd go and check out all of the

other entries in the

Get Your Chef On Challenge!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Click here to see where I may be partying this week.
AND
Don't forget to come by on Tuesday's

for the link party.