Lemon Basil Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Frosting

For the lemon curd:
In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, zest and butter.

Cook in the microwave at one-minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the microwave and transfer to another bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap; chill in the refrigerator until cold or at least for one hour.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Spray paper with cooking spray and dust pans with flour. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another small bowl, stir together lemon juice and milk (milk will curdle). Set aside.

Beat butter in bowl of electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat till pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternating, add flour mixture, milk mixture and sour cream into the sugar mixture in batches, mixing at low speed. Begin and end with flour mixture. Add lemon zest and basil and mix on low till incorporated.

Divide batter between the two pans; smooth tops. Bake for 19 to 22 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then invert the cakes out of the pans onto racks and remove parchment paper. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and cool completely.

For the frosting:
Beat cream and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks. Fold one third of whipped cream into the lemon curd to lighten it, then add the remaining cream and fold in gently.

Assembly:
Put one cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake plate and spread 1/4 of the frosting on top and spread. Top with second cake layer, rounded side down, and spread frosting on top and sides. Garnish with lemon wedges and basil leaves.