Sunshine Cake with Lemon Frosting
Submitted by chattycat
Sunshine cake with bright lemon frosting, an airy egg-yolk-and-white sponge baked in a tube pan with lemon zest and extract. Tender, fragrant, finished with a tangy lemon glaze.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
45 minREADY
3 hrsA cousin of the angel food and chiffon cakes, the sunshine cake gets its golden color from beaten yolks folded into the batter where most foam cakes use only whites. The result is something lighter than a pound cake but richer than angel food, with true lemon perfume from both extract and fresh zest.
The triple sift on the cake flour and the five-time sift on the sugar aren’t fussy old-lady moves. They guarantee the powdery, lump-free texture that lets the cake rise tall in the tube pan without weighing the egg foam down.
Cool the cake upside down in the pan. Gravity stretches the structure as it sets, locking in the height. Freed too soon and the whole thing collapses.
Pro Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs, cold whites won’t whip to full volume and the yolks won’t beat thick
- Keep the tube pan ungreased, the batter needs to climb the sides as it bakes
- Sift the cake flour even if it claims pre-sifted, the extra step makes the difference between dense and cloud-light
- Frost only the cooled cake or the lemon glaze will run off in puddles
Variations
- Swap orange or grapefruit zest for the lemon for a different citrus angle
- Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the batter for visual contrast and gentle crunch
- Glaze with a thin lemon syrup instead of frosting for a less sweet finish
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in center of oven.
Have ready 10-inch tube cake pan (do not grease).
Sift cake flour 3 times; set aside on waxed paper.
Sift sugar 5 times; set aside on waxed paper.
Use mixer to beat egg yolks until thick and light-colored, about 4 minutes.
Set aside.
Use clean beaters to beat egg whites until foamy.
Add cream of tartar and salt.
Continue beating until egg whites are thick and hold their shape but are still soft and moist.
Use rubber spatula to gently fold sugar, in 3 batches, into whites.
Fold in lemon extract, rind and reserved egg yolks until blended.
Gently fold in flour.
Transfer batter to pan; spread evenly with spatula.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) until lightly browned and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Invert pan to let cake cool.
When completely cool, use flexible knife to release cake from sides, then bottom, of pan.
Can be kept well-covered at room temperature for a day or frozen up to 3 months.
To serve, spread top and sides with lemony frosting.
LEMONY FROSTING:
Place all ingredients except milk or water in mixing bowl.
Combine with wooden spoon until smooth.
Add milk or water as necessary, for consistency.
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