Fiber Fool

We take a brief pause from the MN adventures to share with you a little look at Monday night’s knitting goodies. About a month ago we started bringing snacks to the coffeeshop where we meet. Usually I bring veggies and a dips, but this Monday was a special one. It was the day after a landmark birthday for Ashley. I decided it called for something better than veggies and dip (though I brought those too). I was going to make the famous church cake and put lemon curd between the layers, but forgot that we were out of the cake mix it calls for. So, I sought out a white cake recipe and ended up settling on a derivation of a sponge cake and filled it with lemon curd and frosted it with lemon curd and whipped cream. I’m afraid I didn’t manage to take any photos of the filling before the cake was devoured so you’ll just have to trust me.

At the request of Bekah I’m sharing the recipe here. It’ll be good for my records too since I didn’t quite follow a recipe.

Almond Sponge Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

Serves 12

For Cake:

• 1 C Egg Whites (split into 1/2 C portions)
• 1 t Organic Pure Almond Extract
• 1 t Organic Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 C Sparkling Lemonade
• 1 C Sugar
• 1 1/4 C Flour
• 1/2 t Cream of Tartar
• 1/2 C Sugar

For Lemon Curd:

• 2 Eggs well beaten
• 2 Lg Lemons, juiced and zested
• 6T Unsalted Butter (3/4 of a stick)
• 1 C Sugar

For Frosting:

• 1/2 Pint Whipping Cream
• Sprinkles (optional)

1. Let egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. While letting lemonade chill in freezer for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325º F.
3. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat 1/2 C of egg whites on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Add extracts, juice and beat on low until mixed. Gradually add the sugar while beating on low. Increase speed to medium and beat until volume has increased and mixture nearly forms peaks.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the egg mixture 1/4 C at a time and fold in with spatula. Set aside.
5. With a clean whisk attachement, beat the remaining egg white and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add the remaining 1/2 C of sugar. Continue beating until mixture forms stiff peaks. Add 1 C of this mixture to the flour mixture and fold together. Then add flour mixture to egg white mixture and fold carefully. Pour into ungreased 10-in tube pan.
6. Bake at 325º F for 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and invert immediate and let cool completely before removing from pan.
7. While cake bakes make the lemon curd. In a double boiler, melt butter, add sugar, juice and zest and whisk until combined. Add a bit of hot mixture to the well beaten eggs to temper and then add to double boiler. Continue stirring gently with whisk until mixture thickens and the whisk leaves a trail. Pour into a bowl, cover, and cool. Makes ~2 cups.
8. Once cake and curd are cooled, remove cake from pan. Slice off 1/3 of the cake. Using a melon baller or grapefruit spoon make a channel in the thicker piece of the cake and fill with ~2/3 C cooled lemon curd. Replace the top third of the cake.
9. Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Mix with another 1 C of cooled lemon curd and frost with offset spatula. If desired add sprinkles.
10. Store cake in refrigerator.