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Photo: Chris Granger

MAKES ONE 8" CAKE

Let the cake sit for two hours or so after icing it so that the frosting firms.

FOR THE CAKE:
12 oz. unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1⁄2 cups self-rising flour
1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE AND FROSTING:
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
5 cups sugar
12 oz. unsalted butter
2 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup vegetable shortening

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg at a time, then beat in flour. Combine buttermilk and baking soda and beat into flour mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla and beat well. Divide batter evenly among three greased and floured 8" round cake pans and bake until centers of cakes spring back when lightly pressed, 30–35 minutes. Let cakes cool in their pans.

2. For the glaze and frosting: Boil corn syrup, 1 cup of the sugar, 8 tbsp. of the butter, 1/2 cup of the buttermilk, 1 tsp. of the vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. of the baking soda together in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove glaze from heat. Boil shortening and remaining sugar, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and baking soda together in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 230° on a candy thermometer, 25–30 minutes. Remove frosting from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, then beat with a wooden spoon until it loses its shine, 5–7 minutes. Keep frosting warm over a pot of hot water.

3. Remove cake layers from pans. Put 1 layer on a cake plate. Brush one-third of the glaze over top and sides, let rest for 2 minutes, then ice top and sides with one-third of the frosting. Set another layer on top and repeat glazing, icing, and layering process, then repeat process again with remaining layer.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #78