Lemon Cream Sponge Cake

Spring is here!  With that huge surplus of eggs, make this fantastic dessert!

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

12 Eggs separated
1 cup Sugar
1 ½ tsp Cream of Tartar
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
½ cup Honey
1 ½ cup Flour sifted
1 tsp Lemon Zest
1 ½ tsp Vanilla

Lemon Curd

3-4 Lemons (½ cup juice, fine zest)
1 ½ cup Sugar
8 tbsp Butter room temperature
4 Eggs
¼ tsp Salt

Whipped Cream

1 cup Whipping Cream
¼ cup Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Lemon Curd

In a 2 quart sauce pan, cream sugar, salt, zest and butter together until pale. One at a time add eggs, whisking until well combined. While continuing to whisk, add a steady stream of lemon juice.

Over low heat, whisk mixture until it reaches 170^o F.  Take off the heat and scoop into a glass bowl, cover with plastic film, pressing down onto the curd.  Refrigerate until cool.

Whipped Cream

Whisk cream until light and fluffy.  Add in powdered sugar, whisking until combined.   Refrigerate until cool.

Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

Grease two cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites, cream of tarter, and salt on high until soft peaks form; gradually add 1 cup of sugar beating until stiff peaks form.

Beat the yolks in a separate bowl; add the honey, lemon rind and vanilla.  Beat mixture until thick and light in color.

Gently fold yolk mixture into the whites and then fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.

Divide batter evenly between each pan.  Place both pans on the same shelf and bake for 25 minutes, until risen and lightly golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes then run a knife around the sides of each pan and turn out onto a wire cooling rack.  Cool completely, then assemble using 1-1/2 cups of the whipped cream and 1-1/2 cups of the lemon curd.  Save the remain curd and whipped cream for a beautiful dollop on each serving.  Dust surface of cake with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!!!