Lemon Lime Angel Food Cake

LEMON ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Sift the sifted cake flour with 1/2 cup of the sugar 3 times (this is to aerate the mixture and make it light). Set aside. Whip the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whipping until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining cup of sugar and continue whipping until stiff and the sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds more. Gradually add the sifted flour-sugar mixture and fold into the whites. Lastly fold in the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pipe the batter into ungreased mini muffin tins. Bake until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans, then run a knife along the edges to loosen them. Remove from the pans and place upside-down on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Stir the lemon juice and powdered sugar together until smooth, creating a glaze. Pour over each cake until the tops are smoothly coated.
• Confit: Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each lemon to expose the flesh. Cutting from top to bottom and following the contours of the fruit, cut off the peel and white pith in 1-inch-wide strips. Scrape off any pulp adhering to the strips, but leave the pith intact. You now have several 1-inch wide strips of lemon peel and pith. Cut each one into long strips, about 1/4-inch by 3 inches each. Meanwhile, boil a kettleful of water. Pour about a quart of the boiling water into a saucepan, bring to a boil, add all the lemon rind, and boil 30 seconds. Drain in a strainer and rinse under cold running water. Repeat 2 times more, using fresh boiling water each time.
• Combine the 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the blanched rind and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain in a strainer and let cool 15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, arrange the strips on a wire rack so that they do not touch each other. Let cool. Chop the lemon confit and sprinkle over the tops. Let set 30 minutes before serving.

LEMON ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with the flour and sift together 4 times. Set aside.
• Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs make medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Whisk for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Whisk in the vanilla and lemon zest and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Sift about 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour by fourths by sifting and folding until it's all incorporated.
• Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack until cool.

LIME ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH LIME GLAZE AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and salt into medium bowl; repeat sifting 3 times. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, lime peel, and vanilla on medium speed in large bowl until frothy (mixture may turn neon green but color will change when remaining ingredients are added). Add cream of tartar; increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1/3 of flour mixture over whites and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 2 more additions just until incorporated. Transfer to ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with 4-inch-high sides and removable bottom (do not use nonstick pan); smooth top.
• Bake cake until pale golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 38 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of bottle or metal funnel and cool cake completely.
• Using long thin knife, cut around cake sides and center tube to loosen. Lift out center tube with cake still attached; run knife between cake and bottom of pan to loosen. Invert cake onto rack, then turn cake over, rounded side up. Set rack with cake atop rimmed baking sheet.
• For lime syrup and lime glaze:
• Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons lime juice in small saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush syrup all over top and sides of cake. Immediately press pistachios onto top and sides of cake, pressing to adhere.
• Stir powdered sugar with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Let stand until glaze sets, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.
• Transfer cake to platter; cut into wedges and serve.

QUICKER LEMON ANGEL FOOD SUPREME

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions, adding lemon zest and extract. Bake according to package directions. After baking, immediately invert pan and cool completely. For the sauce, combine the pie filling, milk, lemon juice and extract in a bowl; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Serve with cake. Store sauce in the refrigerator.

LUSCIOUS LIME ANGEL SQUARES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Refrigerate until mixture just begins to thicken, about 35 minutes. Place cake cubes in a 13x9-in. dish coated with cooking spray; set aside., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sugar, lemon juice and zest. Add gelatin mixture; beat until combined. Fold in 1-1/2 cups whipped topping. , Spread over top of cake, covering completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; top with remaining whipped topping.

LEMON ANGEL CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Place pie filling in a bowl; fold in whipped cream., Cut cake into two horizontal layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with 1 cup lemon mixture. Top with a second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining lemon mixture. Chill for 15 minutes or until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

LIME ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and yolks. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, lime juice and zest. Cook over simmering water while gradually whisking in butter. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Strain; refrigerate until completely cool., In a small bowl, beat cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form; gradually beat in remaining sugar. Gently fold into lime mixture. , Split cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with 2/3 cup lime mixture. Repeat. Place top layer on cake. Frost top and sides with remaining lime mixture. Sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

LEMONY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in lower third of oven. Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar into a bowl.
• Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add lemon zest and juice, cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt; continue whisking until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add remaining cup sugar.
• Increase speed to medium-high; continue whisking until firm, not stiff, peaks form, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle whites with 1/3 of the flour-sugar mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Sprinkle remaining flour-sugar mixture over whites in 2 additions; gently fold to combine.
• Transfer batter to a 10-inch angel food cake pan with legs. Gently run a knife through the center of the batter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and invert onto its cooling legs (if your tube pan doesn't have legs, invert it over the neck of a wine, or similarly shaped, bottle to cool); let cool, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges of cake to remove. Invert onto a serving platter. (Use a knife to separate cake from bottom of pan.) Let cool on a wire rack. Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Make the lemon cream: Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, flour, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; whisk constantly for 1 minute, until it thickens. Transfer to a heatproof bowl set in ice-water bath to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk cream and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into juice mixture in thirds. Refrigerate lemon cream, up to overnight.
• Make the candied lemon-peel flowers: Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, peel 3 lemons to create 6 long strips (at least 5 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide). Remove pith from strips using a paring knife. Cut tops and bottoms off remaining 3 lemons; cut each in half lengthwise. Remove flesh. Cut out 6 flowers from the peels using a 2-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter and remove pith; cut indentations into petals for definition. Punch a hole in the center of each flower using a 1/4-inch plain round piping tip.
• Add lemon-peel strips and flowers to the syrup. Gently simmer until translucent and tender, about 35 minutes. Remove peels from syrup using a slotted spoon, and transfer to a wire rack set over a parchment. Let dry slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Trim strips to 5-inch lengths, and roll each to form centers of flowers; fit into flower holes and let stand on wire rack until slightly dry but still sticky, about 30 minutes.
• Frost cake with lemon cream. Garnish with candied flowers. Serve.

CLASSIC ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH LIME GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• With a fine sieve, sift together flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar four times.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, beat together egg whites and water until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high and sprinkle in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff but not dry.
• Transfer to a large bowl. In six additions, sift dry ingredients over meringue, folding in quickly but gently.
• Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Smooth top with an offset spatula. Run a knife through batter to release air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.
• Invert pan on its legs or over the neck of a glass bottle, and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Carefully run a long offset spatula or knife around the inner and outer perimeter of the pan to release cake. Place on a plate, bottom side up; cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
• Just before serving, poke the top of the angel food cake all over with a skewer. Pour glaze over cake and garnish with lime zest.