Lemon Layer Cake with Whipped Cream

Make the cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (9-inch) cake pans andcover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In another pan, heat milk and butter until butter melts. Remove from heat and add vanilla; keep warm.

Separate 6 eggs. Place whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and reserve the yolks and remaining 4 eggs in another mixing bowl. Beat the 6 whites on low speed until whites are foamy. Increase mixer speed to medium and gradually add 3/4 cup sugar; continue to beat whites to soft, moist peaks; do not over beat.

In another bowl, beat egg yolk mixture with remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until eggs are very thick and pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Fold beaten eggs into whites.

Sprinkle flour mixture over beaten eggs and whites; fold very gently with a large rubber spatula. Make a well in one side of batter and pour milk mixture into bowl. Continue folding until batter shows no trace of flour and whites and whole eggs are evenly mixed.

Immediately pour batter into prepared baking pans; bake until cake tops are light brown, about 20 minutes. They should feel firm and spring back when touched. Remove immediately from pans and let cook on a wire rack.

Immediately run a knife around pan edge to loosen cake. Cover pan with a large plate. Using a towel, invert pan and remove cake from pan. Peel off parchment. Invert cake from plate onto rack. Repeat with remaining cakes and cool completely.

Make the lemon curd: Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a simmer. In a medium stainless steel bowl that fits over the pot without touching the water, whisk egg yolks, zest, sugar, and lemon juice. Place the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bowl does not come in contact with the water. Whisk until mixture thickens and becomes smooth and custard-like, about 10 minutes; remove from heat. Whisk in butter a piece at a time. Strain curd through a fine mesh into a bowl. Put plastic wrap directly on its surface and refrigerate.

Make the cream frosting: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Keep chilled until ready to use.

Assemble the cake: Fold lemon curd into 1 1/2 cups cream frosting to make the filling of the cake. Slice each cake crosswise to make a total of 6 layers. Fill a pastry bag with some lemon curd-cream mixture. Spread some lemon curd-cream mixture (about 1/3 cup) on the bottom cake layer and top with another layer of cake. Do the same until all layers are filled and stacked. Frost the sides of the cake with the remaining cream frosting. Refrigerate to set.