Fresh Lemon Sunshine Cake

Fresh Lemon Sunshine Cake

1-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 tbsp. water
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon (3 tbsp. juice)
Hint o' Lemon Glaze (see below)
Makes 16 servings
Sift together flour and salt. In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until medium-stiff peaks form; set aside. With same beaters, in medium bowl, beat egg yolks for 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, beating at high speed until egg yolk mixture is very thick. Beat in water and lemon juice; stir in lemon peel. Add flour mixture all at once; gently fold, then lightly stir until well-blended. Carefully fold yolk mixture into beaten egg whites. Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Smooth top and cut through batter with table knife to remove any large air bubbles. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert onto neck of bottle or wire rack; cool completely upside-down. With narrow spatula or knife, loosen around tube and sides. Lift out tube and cake; loosen cake around bottom. Invert onto cake plate. Glaze top with Hint o' Lemon Glaze, allowing some to drizzle over sides.* Garnish each serving with lemon cartwheel twists, fresh berries and fresh mint leaves, if desired.
Hint o' Lemon Glaze
In small bowl combine 1-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1-1/2 to 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice.
*Or cover top of cake with a thin layer of Hint o' Lemon Glaze; let dry. Cover remaining glaze with damp paper toweling and plastic wrap. When top of cake is dry, drizzle or pipe remaining glaze (thinned with a few drops of lemon juice, if necessary) over top of cake in a decorative pattern.