Bakers - your opinions please

katem3277

I have decided to use Ina Garten's birthday sheet cake recipe for my DD's upcoming 1st birthday party.  I have also seen her recipe for a flag sheet cake that is almost identical except it excludes the zest of one lemon.  So, my question is for a yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting would you include the zest of one lemon or leave it out? 

alithebride

if you want the cake to be lemony include it.

if you dont, leave it out.

Frazzmatazz

I agree with Ali. I've never made that particular cake, but I've modified a sugar cookie recipe with lemon zest, and it doesn't taste "lemony". You can taste a freshness in the cookie and the batter, but it's pretty subtle. Perhaps the cake is the same way. Can you do a test run ahead of time?

lovethebeach16

I'd leave it out.

26summer

I'm not a fan of lemon-y cake with chocolate frosting.  I'd leave it out.

misspunky

I would leave it out.

Baker_Bride

I used to work in a bakery that had lemon curd as an option for filling and the head pastry chef was so opposed to lemon and chocolate that she refused to sell lemon curd with chocolate cake. I don't think they really go together so I would leave it out.

charbakes

I own a bakery and I usually don't pair lemon curd with chocolate. I would if someone asked for it, but I would make sure they had a tasting first to see if they liked it.

 Lemon zest doesn't make a cake lemony per se, It gives it a brightness and adds a different dimension to the flavors. I haven't tried these recipes, but I'm guessing the exclusion of the lemon zest from the flag cake is because the berries provide enough acid so there's no need to include lemon zest.

snapdragon1222

I'd definitely add it!

jessica.knight

Chocolate and lemon?  No.  Absolutely not. Eww.  Cake with lemon needs a light icing or maybe just a glaze.  If you're stuck on chocolate icing, skip the lemon.