For The Last Time, We Did Not Order A Giant Trampoline...

...or a disproportionate elephant and mouse cake.

So, here's the story. Someone close to me has commissioned me to make their wedding cake for this upcoming summer. Why, you may ask? Because they are poor and I will do it for free, although after seeing my work they may decide to spring for a professional cake, but anyway, I digress. So this is try 2-ish (I refuse to talk about try 1, try 1-ish went pretty well though). So, they sent me a picture of the basic idea, and my idea is to try making a cake a week as practice. This cake is a Luscious Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting and a Lemon Pie Filling for the filling, which is WAY off base from the white cake with raspberry or strawberry filling that they requested, but I made that last week and I tend to get bored. So, I tried something new.
Speaking of trying new things, I decided that I was going to try to mold fondant, hence the funny looking elephant and mouse cake toppers. Yes, I molded them myself, try not to seem so surprised. Any feedback on the cake would be most appreciated. I have already decided that each tier needs to have three layers, either that or WAY more frosting filling, because it is looking a little short and squat. Also, I need to leave the cake in the fridge longer before putting on the fondant, and hopefully that will help it have crisper edges. Other input is appreciated!

Luscious Lemon Cake
From Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
Cake -
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 extra large organic lemons, washed thoroughly then zested and juiced separately
2/3 c. milk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 egg whites, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing -
4 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
tiny pinch of salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 extra large lemon, juiced

Additional lemon for decorating

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cake pans.
-In bowl of electric mixer sift and add flour, sugar, baking powder, meringue powder, salt, and zest of one lemon.
-Stir with mixer to combine, about 30 seconds.
-Add milk, oil, juice from two lemons, beaten egg whites and extract.
-Beat on medium to combine thoroughly, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.
-Remove from mixer and stir with silicone spatula to thoroughly combine (making sure there is no flour mixture left unincorporated at the bottom of the bowl.
-Fill prepared pans 2/3 of the way full and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (about 25-28 mins for 8 inch pans)
-Remove from oven, let cool 15 minutes in pan and then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
-Meanwhile, in the bowl of stand mixer, combine shortening, butter, and half of extract and lemon juice, stiring on low until relatively combined.
-In a separate bowl, combine sugar, meringue powder and salt, then add to mixer while still on.
-Stir, scraping down sides of bowl, until thoroughly combined, adding more lemon juice as needed.
(Add water if needed to reach desired texture.)
-Once cakes are completely cool, even out tops of cakes if needed.
-On cut side of one cake, spread generous amount of icing.
-Place cut side of other cake down onto filling and finish icing cake.
-Decorate with additional lemon and icing as desired.