Lemon Raspberry Angel Food Cake

LEMON RASPBERRY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Transfer to a small saucepan.
• Cook the mixture over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the butter. Mix until smooth.
• Transfer the curd to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream and powdered sugar.
• Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
• Beat in Mascarpone cheese. Mix until smooth.
• Fold in the 1/3 c. lemon curd.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine angel food cake mix, lemon juice and zest, and water.
• Beat until light and fluffy, or about 1 minute.
• Pour into an ungreased angel food cake pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Invert on a bottle top (or other rack), and cool completely.
• Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, and remove it to a serving plate.
• Carefully slice the top of the cake off in one piece with a serrated knife, about 1/3 of the way down, or about 1.5 inches from the top.
• Using your fingers, carefully tear out a tunnel from the bottom part of the cake, leaving about 1-inch shell on all sides and the bottom.
• Evenly spread the Mascarpone cream mixture into the cake's tunnel.
• Top the Mascarpone cream evenly with the remaining lemon curd.
• Top the lemon curd with a layer of fresh raspberries, reserving a few for the garnish.
• Replace the top of the cake.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream and powdered sugar.
• Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, 3-5 minutes.
• "Frost" the cake evenly with the whipped cream, and top with a few fresh raspberries for garnish.
• Store in refrigerator. EAT!!!

LEMON-VANILLA ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH RASPBERRY-BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the raspberry sauce, mix 1 cup of the raspberries, the preserves, water, and the sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan (not uncoated aluminum.) Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, mashing the raspberries with a wooden spoon. Boil 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Strain the raspberry mixture through a fine strainer suspended over a bowl, pressing down on raspberries to release the juices. Discard the seeds. Stir the blueberries and the remaining 1 cup raspberries into the hot raspberry syrup. Cover and let stand until cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. Yield: 2 cups
• For the cake, check that one rack is in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pour the egg whites into the bowl in which you will be making the batter. If the pan has a removable bottom, do nothing to it. If it does not, lightly butter the bottom. Line the bottom with waxed paper or parchment paper cut to fit, and lightly butter the paper. Thoroughly mix the flour and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar or 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Have all the ingredients and tools at hand. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until frothy and well broken up. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until the whites lose their yellow cast, greatly increase in volume, and start to turn white. With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup sugar over the whites. Beat until the whites become very thick, very glossy, and white, and the beaters leave a deep trail. Depending on the mixer, this need take only about 3 minutes total. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla, just enough to mix. Reduce the speed to the lowest possible. Quickly sprinkle the flour sugar-mixture over the whites. As soon as it is all added, but not completely mixed in, stop the machine and remove the bowl. With a rubber spatula or a large metal spoon, complete mixing in the flour by folding or gently stirring. Stop just as soon as the flour seems blended in. With a rubber spatula, scrape the batter (9 cups) into the pan and spread evenly. Inscribe a circle deep in the batter to release any large air bubbles. Bake until no moist patches remain in the surface cracks, the cake springs back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes for a 10 by 3-inch pan, 1 hour for a tube pan. Turn the pan upside down on a wire rack. Let cool completely. Loosen the edges (and tube) with a knife. Turn out the cake, loosen and remove the pan bottom, or peel off the paper. Store airtight 1 day at room temperature before serving or freezing. When serving, top cake with sauce and confectioners' sugar, if you wish.

LEMON ANGEL FOOD CAKE FILLED WITH LEMON CURD AND FRESH RASPBERRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Have ready an ungreased 10- inch tube pan.
• Sift the flour and the confectioners' sugar together into a medium bowl.
• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until foamy.
• Increase the speed to medium-high, add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat just until the egg whites form soft peaks.
• Add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat just until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks.
• Add the vanilla and lemon oil and beat until well combined Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold in with a whisk or a rubber spatula.
• Continue gently folding, one quarter at a time, until all the flour mixture has been added, being careful not to over mix.
• Transfer the batter to the pan.
• Run a table knife through the batter to remove any large air pockets, and smooth the top.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the side of the pan.
• Turn the pan upside down, and balance it on its elongated neck or pan legs (if it if has them), or hang the tube upside down from the neck of a tall wine bottle.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• Turn the pan right side up.
• Run a knife around the edge of the cake and between the cake and the tube.
• Top the cake with a flat plate, invert it, give a sharp downward rap to the pan to dislodge the cake and lift off the pan.
• If the pan bottom is removable, slide a knife between the pan bottom and the cake to release it.
• Stir the lemon glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before using.
• Cut cake in half.
• Once completely cooled fill with lemon curd (SEE my recipe posted).
• Top Curd with Raspberries.
• Put top half of cake on raspberries then top with Glaze.
• Pouring over the cake and let stand for at least 10 outside minutes, or until the glaze is set.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the cake.

RASPBERRY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; beat in cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the extracts. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff, scraping bowl occasionally. Sift flour over beaten whites; sprinkle with berries. Gently fold flour and raspberries into batter until well mixed. Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. , Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert the pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.