LEMON ANGEL CAKE
We’re a huge chocolate family, but once you find something really good that’s lemon, it’s hard to beat. It’s an airy angel cake with my grandmother’s lemon glaze, and then fresh or cooked fruit on top. In the fall, I don’t love eating raw plums, blackberries and currants, but once you quickly cook them, they’re so delicious. Then you have leftovers to put on ice cream.
SERVES 4 TO 5
You know that delicious, glossy, light meringue? You know the airy angel cake that makes you want a second piece? Combine them with the perfect pucker of lemon from my grandmother’s classic lemon loaf glaze, and you’ll have a new favourite special occasion cake. This is also delicious with a boozy fruit compote — just use whatever fruits you have on hand.
Cake
1 cup flour, sifted twice
2 cups sugar, divided
8 eggs, separated, whites only 1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp salt
Zest of 2 lemons (1 tbsp packed) 1 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 1 tsp vanilla
Lemon Glaze
Juice of 2 lemons 1 cup icing sugar
Boozy Fruit Compote
2 lbs. black or purple plums, sliced, and seedless concord grapes, off stems 1 qt. blackberries ¼ cup honey ½ tsp cinnamon ½ cup dessert wine 1 tsp vanilla
MAKE BATTER AND BAKE CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Into large bowl, sift flour and half the sugar. Sift again. Reserve.
2. In stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on high until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt, and beat until soft peaks form.
3. Add remaining sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla, until just combined.
4. Gently fold in dry mixture in 4 parts. When combined, pour batter into
10" angel food pan and smooth top.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and springs back when touched. Let cool completely.
MAKE GLAZE AND FINISH CAKE
1. In small bowl, stir lemon juice and sugar together until sugar dissolves.
2. Invert cake on platter. Cool. Drizzle glaze over cake.
MAKE FRUIT COMPOTE
1. In medium saucepan, combine fruits, berries, honey, cinnamon and dessert wine. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce to low, stirring, and simmer for 10 minutes, until mixture thickens. Add vanilla. Cool, then spoon over slices of cake. Substitute fresh berries and whipped cream for compote, if desired.