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## Essential Ingredients and Tools
To start your lemon cake journey, gather the right ingredients and tools. The quality of your ingredients directly influences the cake’s flavor and texture, so choose fresh, high-quality products. Here’s what you’ll need:
### Ingredients
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 ½ cups granulated sugar
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½ cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup buttermilk
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3 large eggs
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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¼ teaspoon salt
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Zest of 2 lemons
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¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
### Tools
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Mixing bowls
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Electric mixer
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9-inch round cake pans
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Parchment paper
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Cooling rack
## Step-by-Step Baking Instructions
### Preparing the Batter
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing your cake pans with butter or non-stick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together until well blended.
In another bowl, use your electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined; overmixing can lead to a dense cake.
Fold in the lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice gently until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
### Baking the Cake
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula to ensure even baking. Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
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