1-1/2 c Egg whites; 10-12 large
1-1/2 c Powdered sugar; sifted
1 c Cake flour; sifted, OR
- all purpose flour
1-1/2 ts Cream of tartar
1 ts Vanilla
1 c Sugar
1 ts Lemon peel; finely shredded
-------------------------------LEMON FILLING-------------------------------
3/4 c Sugar
1 pk Unflavored gelatin
ds Salt
3/4 c Cold water
1 ts Lemon peel; finely shredded
3 tb Lemon juice
Yellow food coloring;
- optional
1 c Whipping cream
In a very large mixing bowl, bring egg whites to room temperature.
Meanwhile sift powdered sugar and flour together 3 times. Set flour
mixture aside. Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat
until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 2 tb at a time
until soft peaks form. Sift about 1/4th of the flour mixture over
the egg white mixture, then gently fold in. Repeat sifting and
filding in the remaining flour mixture, using 1/4th of it each
time. Gently fold in lemon peel.
Gently cut through cake batter with a knife or metal spatula. Bake
on lowest rack in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes or till top
springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake in pan.
Cool completely.
Using a narrow metal spatula loosen sides of cake from pan. Remove
cake from pan. Using a serrated or very sharp knife, cut off the
top 1-inch of the cake; set aside. With the knife held parallel to
the side of the cake, cut around the hole in the center of the
cake, leaving a 1-inch thickness of cake around the hole, then cut
around inside the outer edge of the cake, leaving the outer cake
wall 1-inch thick.
Using a spoon remove center of cake, leaving 1-inch thick base.
Place the hollowed out cake on a serving plate. Spoon filling into
the hollowed out section. Replace the top of the cake. Cover and
chill for 4-24 hours. Before serving, sift powdered sugar over the
cake; if desired, garnish with lemon slices.
Lemon Cake Filling:
In a saucepan, stir together sugar, gelatin and salt. Gradually
stir in cold water. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice. Heat and
stir just until gelatin dissolves. If desired, stir in a few drops
yellow food coloring. Cool lemon gelatin mixture in a bath of ice
water, stirring constantly for 5-8 minutes or till mixture is the
consistency of corn syrup. Remove lemon-gelatin mixture from ice
water; set aside.
In a medium bowl beat 1 cup whipping crem until soft peaks form.
Fold 1/4th of the whipped cream into the lemon gelatin mixture back
into the remaining whipped cream. Chill 5 minutes or until the
mixture mounds when spooned.
