BBQ's ... AKA ... Another excuse to make something fancy.

Kind of excited.  Have my first Summer BBQ tonight and I've decided to bake a Lemon Chiffon Cake with fresh Blueberries.  Ohhh, fancy.  A few weeks ago I took a Vintage Cake Class at the San Diego Sur la Table - best idea ever!  We made 2 cakes - Caramel Cake with Brown Butter Icing ( also makes a good "self pity cake" and a Lemon Chiffon cake.  I've attempted the chiffon cake in the past but the results were very, well not good.  After making the caramel cake a few times I'm ready to try this on my own.

How it turned out? Amazing!  

Recipe from Sur La Table Vintage Cakes Class

Lucious Lemon Chiffon Cake

For Cake: 

7 eggs - separated

1 teaspoon lemon juice ( I used 1/2 teaspoon cream of Tartar)

1 c sugar, 1/2 c sugar (1 1/2 c total)

2 c flour - all purpose

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 c vegetable oil

3/4 c whole milk (I used half and half)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon oil (I used lemon extract)

For Frosting:

1 pint heavy whipping cream (1 needed 24 oz)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (used 1 1/2 tablespoon)

1/2 c sugar (I used 3/4 c)

2 pints fresh berries

To prepare cakes:

Preheat to 325

Separate eggs carefully, even a small amount of yolk in whites will prevent them from beating properly

In lg mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar or lemon juice until foamy.  Add 1/2 c sugar and continue to beat to stiff and glossy.  Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk 1 c sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.  

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, oil, milk, and flavorings.   Add dry ingredients and beat til well blended - about 2 minutes using a stand mixer or longer with a hand mixer.

Gently fold whites into mixture using a wire whip.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of bowl so the batter is well blended.   Pour batter into ungreased pans.  

Bake as follows:

2 10 inch pans - bake at 325 for 50 minutes, then 10 more at 350

2 9 inch pans - bake at 325 for 40 minutes, then 10 more at 350

Angel Food Pan - bake at 325 for 50 minutes, then 10 more at 350

Don't open the oven during the first 45 minutes of baking, the cake will rise above the pan, and then settle back almost even.  It's done when a finger pressed in the middle doesn't leave a print, and you can hear a crackling sound if you listen carefully.  Cool the cake upside down for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.  If you've used a tube pan, set it stop a thin-necked bottle, threading the bottle neck through the hole in the tube.  

To prepare frosting

While cake cools, in a medium bowl, or stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip cream, zest and sugar until medium peaks.

To assemble cake 

Once cool, remove cakes from pans and torte the cakes into 2 layers.  Place 1 cake layer on bottom of plate spread 1/4 frosting and add 1/4 berries.  Add next layer of cake ... Repeat until all 4 layers are done.  The sides of cake are left bare.