Bottom Cream Cake

CAKE:
1 ½ c. flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¾ c. unsalted butter, at room temp.
¾ c. sugar
¼ t. grated lemon or orange zest
2 eggs, at room temp.
2/3 c. milk

CREAM CUSTARD FILLING:
1 ¼ c. milk
3 egg yolks
¼ c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 T. unsalted butter
1 ½ t. vanilla
½ c. heavy cream, chilled

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ t. light corn syrup
½ c. heavy cream

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 2 in.
round cake pan, and set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set it aside.
Cream butter, sugar, and citrus zest until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla. With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the
milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a rack. Turn the cake out of the pan to cool completely.

To make the cream filling: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high heat,
until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat.
Whisk together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
While whisking, gradually pour the milk into the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
While whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; cook for 1
minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and vanilla.
Put the custard in a medium bowl, and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to
prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake.

To make glaze: Put the chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.
Cool slightly before glazing the cake.

To assemble the cake: Slice the cake in horizontally with a serrated knife, into 2 pieces, starting about
5/8ths of the way up the sides of the cake. (The top piece should be slightly thinner than the bottom.)
Place the bottom of the cake on a 9-inch cardboard cake round or flat plate.
Spread the cream just to the edges of the cake and cover with the top layer.
Pour the entire glaze over the cake.
Tilt the cake so the glaze covers evenly and runs down the sides.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.