How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

Luscious Lemon Layer Cake Recipe AND a $ 400 Giveaway!

in Lifestyle on

*Please note the following giveaway is open to Canada only.

Hello sunshine!  I’m ushering Spring into my house by filling the vases with fresh flowers, opening the windows and taking on some new recipes.  It’s time to leave winter behind and look forward to all the beauty the season has to offer.  On the agenda today – celebrating the little things – finding the perfect Lemon Cake and the perfect mixer to make it in!

Look at this little beauty.  This is the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro.

In my house we do a LOT of baking.  Cookies and cakes are a favourite, and when there’s cake – there must be “Stephanie’s Famous Homemade Icing”.  Seriously, my Husband has joked that he wants me to start a store and call it “Just Icing”.  I didn’t invent the icing recipe, but I have tweaked it.  And over the years I’ve burnt out mixers making up massive batches of the stuff.  So I’m telling you the truth when I convey I was excited to take the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro for a spin.  Could it stand the ultimate test?  A great big batch of my famous icing. Here are all the details on this pretty new machine.

DETAILS:

  • No sticky bowls or spattered batter here. With a flexible edge and 360 degree coverage, the double sided Scraper Beater expertly scrapes the bowl and ensures thorough mixing. The brilliant pouring shield protects from splatter.  This was PERFECT for cake making with a big old batch of icing.  Usually when I’m done there’s a find white powder all over my countertops.  With the flexible edge cover – that icing sugar stayed where it belonged!
  • MIXING SYSTEM: The Scraper Mixer Pro™ replicates the same planetary mixing action with a counter-clockwise mixing head and anti-clockwise sweeping action of wide attachments to ensure 360 degrees coverage of the entire bowl. The mixer did all the work!  I did not once have to manually mix anything with a spoon.  Remarkable.  
  • DOUBLE SIDED SCRAPER BEATER: The flexible edge on this revolutionary beater wipes the sides and bottom of the bowl with every turn.  Ready for a shock?  During the making of the cake and icing I did not once have to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.  The double sider scraper did all the work.
  • 12 SPEED ELECTRONIC CONTROL: Use the mixing speed control dial to select the correct technique to suit your recipe.  And there’s a timer to let you know how long you’ve been mixing. 
  • VERSATILE ATTACHMENTS: The Scraper Mixer Pro includes a Scraper beater, Standard flat beater, Dough hook, Whisk, Splash Guard & Spatula attachments to help you create anything from bread and pasta dough to icing and whipped cream.  Whew!  All the tools you could ever need – all in one mixer.
  • DIE-CAST METAL STAND: The heavy duty die-cast metal stand keeps the mixer secure and stable during operation.  This is one heavy mixer.  During mixing the stand held strong and did not shift or shimmy across my counter.  

The Breville Scraper Mixer Pro is a beautiful stand mixer with some very smart attachments.  It was easy to set up, and a snap to clean up.  This Mixer passed my icing test with flying colours and is a great addition to my kitchen appliance family.

Sweet Lemon Layer Cake with Home-Made Buttercream Icing

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

This 3 layer lemon layer cake is made with real lemons. It’s moist, (just perfect with a coffee) and a new favourite in our house.  

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of Meringue Powder (you can find this at your local Michaels Store in the baking aisle)
  • Pinch of salt (to cut the sweet just a little bit)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. Using your stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy.  About 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. (but you won’t need to if you use the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro)  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients just until combined. With the mixer still running on low, add the buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix just until combined. Make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be THICK.
  5. Pour batter, dividing equally into cake pans. Bake for approximately 21-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting and assembling. The baked cakes are fluffy, but not thick– about 1 – 1.5 inches.

**Note this makes great cupcakes too!

For the frosting.

  1. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, vanilla and water, on medium speed until creamy. With your mixer on low, slowly add in the sifted confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder and a dash of salt.  Increase to high speed and beat for 3 – 5 minutes until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar, if icing is too thick, a little more warm water will do the trick.

Decorate

  1. Optional: Level your cake layers.  Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface.  Place on your cake stand.
  2. Cover generously with frosting.
  3. Add second and third layers, icing between each layer, then icing the remainder of the cake.
  4. Add clean dried lemon slices, blackberries, or edible flowers!
  5. Enjoy!

Nothing welcomes spring like open windows, fresh flowers and inviting a friend over for coffee and cake!  To celebrate the turning of the season I have some exciting news., it’s giveaway time! One lucky reader of How To Survive Life In The Suburbs has a chance to WIN a Breville Scraper Mixer Pro of their very own!! ARV $400.00!!  To enter, simply answer this TWO PART QUESTION

  1. Re-reading the DETAILS section above:  Which amazing feature did you find most interesting?
  2. If you won, what would be the first thing you would bake?
  3. Then use the Rafflecopter form below to earn those extra entries.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to Canadians only, excluding Quebec, and to all those who have reached the age of majority in their Province. Closes April 29, 2019.  Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of Breville. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. In exchange for this post, I have received perks in the form of products and/or compensation.  All opinions on this blog are my own.

Cake recipe adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction.   Icing recipe is my own!

    • Comments

    1. I love the versatile attachments that come with it and the first thing I would bake would be cinnamon buns with a cream cheese frosting!

    2. I think the double sided scraper beater is a great feature. The first thing I would make with this mixer is a chocolate cake. Having the double sided scraper, it would make mixing up a cake a breeze

    4. The double sided scrapper beater is my favorite feature! No more using a spatula during mixing! The first thing I would make is a big batch of chocolate chip cookies.

    5. I really like the 12 Speed Electronic Control with the timer; it takes the effort out of timing and mixing some very tricky recipes that require soft hands or heavy beating. The first thing I would bake would be my grandmother’s famous Fudge Cake with Buttercream Chocolate Frosting. Thanks!

    7. I love the double sided Scraper Beater – that makes things so much easier!! The first I would make would have to be chocolate chip cookies.

    8. This recipe looks to die for! Lemon cakes have always been my fave. Looking forward to trying this one.

      • If you want to be entered to win: Please be sure to come back and tell me your favourite feature and what you’d make first. Thanks!

    10. I am a big fan of the double sided scraper beater. I would probably make a cake with my girls first.

    12. The double sided scraper sounds amazing! I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe I’d start with, it requires some muscle, so a mixer would be SUCH a help!

    14. I love that this mixer has 12 speeds. I would make my grandson his fave peanut butter cookies first.

    15. I like that the mixer has so many versatile attachments & has a splash guard to guard against messes! I would love to try making a simple bread with the bread hook!