A re-creation with mixed results

The last few years, Victor has wanted the jello poke cake as his birthday cake. I have tried a few variations, even making my own strawberry jello once (so refreshing!) but I wanted to switch it up. He agreed to a lemon cake...lemon mousse, lemon filling, so many choices! I decided to try to re-create the lemon curd cake we had from the Night Kitchen in Chestnut Hill (Philly suburb): yellow cake, lemon curd and cream cheese icing. Of course, I tried to make my own lemon curd and of course, it didn't quite work out. The curd's consistency seemed pretty good when I took it off the stove top but once it cooled, the butter separated out and become a thick lemon butter layer with a way-too-liquidy lemon juice trapped underneath. Deciding I didn't have the time or patience to try it again, I bought a jar of pre-made curd at the grocery store which I put between the layers and on top of a yellow cake. The rest of the cake was covered in a homemade cream cheese buttercream frosting which got a little droopy as you can see in the lower right of the picture above. Below is the cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe I used. Usually, if a frosting is too loose, you just add more powdered sugar, but that just wasn't helping in this case. The next time I make a cream cheese frosting, I will decrease the butter to about 5 tablespoons. If you are not going to try to pipe the frosting, this recipe will work, but if you want to do any trimming or anything, the frosting needs to be firmed up.

Overall, the cake was moist and refreshing despite it's somewhat lackluster appearance. NOTE: Due to the cream cheese and lemon curd, it's important to keep this cake refrigerated.

Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from Simply Recipes

8 oz of cream cheese

8 oz unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups of powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla. Slowing add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired spreading consistency is reached.