Spice Cake with Lemon Cream
(Makes one 4 x 13-inch cake)

A tender, mildly spiced buttermilk cake is filled and topped with a luscious Lemon Cream made from lemon curd and whipped cream. It is simple yet luxurious.

For the cake:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, preferably Vietnamese or Saigon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1-1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
2-2/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

For the Lemon Cream:
Lemon Curd (see Recipes page)
2 cups heavy cream

Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or a convection oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Set an oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Place all of the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 3 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway through. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto another wire rack. Turn the cake upright to finish cooling.

While the cake is cooling, make the Lemon Curd according to the directions in the recipe. Set it aside to cool.

When the cake and Lemon Curd are completely cool, whip the cream until it is stiff. Stir about a quarter of the curd into the whipped cream with a whisk, and then fold in the remaining curd. If necessary, level the top of the cake, using a long, sharp knife, making a horizontal slice from the top of the cake. Using the same knife, divide the cake into two thin layers.

Spread half of the Lemon Cream over the bottom layer, then place the top layer over it. Spread the remaining Lemon Cream over the top of the cake with an icing spatula, or pipe it decoratively on the top of the cake.

Chill the cake until you are ready to serve it. Leftover cake will keep, covered, in the fridge for 2 days.

Make-ahead tips: The Spice Cake can be made and kept at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for three days, or frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Defrost it while still wrapped. The Lemon Cream can be made a day ahead. The frosted cake can be frozen for up to a month. To do this, place the frosted cake, uncovered in the freezer. When hard, wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil, and return it to the freezer. When you defrost it, move it to the refrigerator the day before you will be using it. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before you serve it.

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