Gluten-Free Lemon Mint Cake

       Okay, call me crazy but this weekend I decided to combine two refreshing flavors that you might not automatically think of putting together: lemon and spearmint!  One of my customers begged me to bring back my (somewhat) famous mascarpone whipped cream frosting and that seemed like the perfect complement to this bright cake.  I hope you enjoy this summery treat!      

You'll need:

1 cup Kerrygold unsalted butter, softened

2 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 tsp butter flavor

4 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp almond extract

Zest of two large lemons

4 eggs

3 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare two round 9” pans by greasing and flouring with gluten-free flour.

       In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Add in the sugar and extracts then continue whipping until fully creamed.

       Gradually add the eggs one at a time and mix well between each addition.

       In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Then stir into the creamed mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Finally fold in the lemon zest. 

       Pour batter into prepared pans then Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center and the tops are a light golden brown.  Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. 

Spearmint Crème Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 tbsp powdered sugar

1 4oz container mascarpone cheese

1 tsp vanilla

10 drops spearmint oil

1/2 Tbsp white chocolate syrup

       In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and one-third of the mascarpone cheese, then whip on high until blended.  Mix in the white chocolate syrup and another third of the cheese.  Then add in the remaining cheese and whip until everything is fully combined and the icing is smooth.

       To assemble, spread a generous amount of cream onto the top of one of the cakes and drizzle with additional white chocolate syrup.  Stack the second cake on top of the cream filling, then finish frosting the sides and top of the cakes.  After you have used all of the cream, drizzle the top of the cake with white chocolate syrup and sprinkle with sparkling sugar for a nice finishing touch.

        Serve and Enjoy!