Lemon Snowflake Cake – Country Living

-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.