Lemon Snowflake Cake

-CAKE LAYERS-
3 1/2 c Unsifted cake flour
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
2 c Sugar
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tb Lemon juice
1 ts Finely grated lemon rind
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Milk
7 lg Egg whites
White-Chocolate Snowflakes
-and Frosting
4 3-oz bars white chocolate,
-coarsely chopped
Silver dragees (opt.)
1 1/2 8-oz packages cream
-cheese, softened
1/2 c (1 stick) butter,
-softened
1 tb Lemon juice

White-chocolate snowflakes balance gracefully on a delicate, lemony
three-layer white cake filled with zesty lemon custard and covered with a
white-chocolate frosting.

1. Several hours or day before serving, prepare Lemon Filling: In 2-quart
saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well mixed. Gradually
add water, stirring until smooth. Heat mixture to boiling over medium heat,
stirring constantly with wire whisk; boil 1 minute (or until mixture
thickens). In small bowl, quickly stir some of hot mixture into egg yolks,
then stir egg-yolk mixture into remaining hot mixture in saucepan until
well blended. Reduce heat to low; add butter and cook mixture for 5
minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and
rind. Cool to room temperature; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap
and refrigerate until filling is completely cold-at least 2 hours.

2. Prepare Cake Layers: Heat oven to 375’F. Grease three 9-inch-round
baking pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment or, waxed paper; grease
and flour paper. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and
salt.

3. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat 1 3/4 C sugar
and very light and fluffy; beat in lemon juice, lemon rind, and vanilla.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk to butter mixture, beginning and
ending with flour mixture, beating until smooth batter forms.

4. In another bowl, with clean beaters and mixer at high speed, beat egg
whites and remaining 1/4 C sugar until stiff peaks form. With rubber
spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter. Divide evenly among prepared
pans.

5. Bake 25 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; invert layers
onto wire racks, remove parchment paper and cool layers completely.

6. Meanwhile, prepare White-Chocolate Snowflakes: In double boiler, over
hot, not boiling, water, or in microwave, melt 1 1/2 bars white chocolate.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spoon melted white chocolate into
pastry bag fitted with writing tip. Reserve pan in which white chocolate
was melted. Onto foil-lined sheet, pipe twenty-eight 2-inch snowflakes.
Decorate with silver dragees, if desired. Place sheet of snowflakes in
freezer until cake is completely frosted.

7. Prepare White-Chocolate Frosting: Melt remaining 2 1/2 bars white
chocolate in the same pan; set aside to cool to room temperature. In large
bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth.
Gradually beat in white chocolate, butter, and lemon juice until frosting
is smooth.

8. To assemble cake, with sharp knife, trim tops of cake layers to make
level. Place one cake layer on serving plate; spread with half of lemon
filling; repeat with second cake layer and filling. Place last cake layer,
upside down, on top of filling to complete 3-layer cake. Frost cake
smoothly with White-Chocolate Frosting. Remove snowflakes from freezer;
gently peel snowflakes from foil. Press a few snowflakes into side of cake;
pile remaining on top of cake. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

Country Living/December/92 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl & gg