This is by far my favorite lemon cake. It is so delicate and full of lemony flavor. It is flavored with lemon in three ways, lemon rind, lemon juice and organic, pure lemon extract. The result is amazing. The recipe calls for a simple dusting of powdered sugar, but I lightly sweeten some whipped cream and add the three levels of lemon. Every year around this time a woman calls me for this cake for her birthday. It's always a hit.
Lemon Chiffon Cake
makes one 7 inch tube pan
(can easily be doubled for a larger, angel food sized cake)
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
here I also add a dash of lemon extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, with a rack in the lower third. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest and juice, and the vanilla. Stir in reserved dry ingredients until smooth.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar; beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar; beat on high speed until stiff peaks form; about two minutes more.
4. Gradually fold the egg-white mixture into the batter; start by stirring in one-third to lighten it, then fold in the remaining two-thirds. Pour the batter into an ungreased 7 inch tube pan. Using an offset spatula, smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden, about 45 minutes.
5. Remove the cake from the oven; invert the pan over a glass soda or other bottle for 2 hours to cool (the cake must cool upside down). Turn the cake right-side up. Run a table knife all the way down between the cake and the pan; invert again, and remove the cake. You can then dust the cake with confectioner's sugar or beat some heavy cream with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, the juice of one and a half lemons, the rind of one lemon and a tablespoon of lemon extract. Frost cake and enjoy.
