Luscious Lemon Angel Food Cake



INGREDIENTS:

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

GARNISH

Powdered sugar Lemon slices; quartered, - optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. 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 till
soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 2 tablespoon
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~ oven for 40-45 minutes or till top
springs back when lgihtly touched. Immediately invert
cake in pan. Cool completely. Using a narrow metal
spatual 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 cente rof 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
till 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 till 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 till the mixture mounds when spooned.

Makes 3 cups.



Luscious Lemon Angel Food Cake