Summer is coming in HOT. The heatwave this week has made me extra cranky and tired. All I want to do is stay indoors with the AC blasting...with a slice of this cake, or the whole cake (I could totally finish it in my own. No lie). If you're gonna turn your oven on for one thing only this summer, you can bet your booty that this is what you've been waiting for. It's light. It's fluffy. It's zesty. It's refreshing. It's got fresh fruits AND a lightly sweetened whipped creeeeaaam. Mmmmmmmmmm! Thinking about it makes my mouth water. OH BABY! And of course I couldn't help myself but to decorate it with some fresh flowers. They always make the cake look extra pretty, and a pretty cake makes my insides happy hehe! *happy dance/wiggle* scroll down for the recipe!


LEMON CHIFFON RECIPE 


INGREDIENTS

  • 7 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Line four 6 inch cake pans with parchment paper, do NOT butter/oil the sides.
  • Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
  • In the bowl with the egg yolks, beat in the sugar, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, oil & vanilla extract.
  • Sift in the flour & baking powder & beat until the batter is smooth.
  • In the bowl with the eggs whites, add the cream of tartar & beat till stiff peaks form. Make sure to not over beat.
  • Take 1/4 of the egg whites and gently fold it into the egg yolk mixture.
  • Pour the egg yolk mixture into the rest of the egg whites & fold very gently. You want to keep the air in the egg white, but also want to make sure there are no clumps of egg whites in the final batter.
  • Pour into prepared pans & bake for 45-50mins or until the tops are slightly brown & the cake springs back when touched.
  • Take them out of the oven & cool the cakes upside down. This helps to keep the height of the cakes.
  • Once cooled, take a thin knife and run it around the side of the cake pan to loosen the cake. It should slide right out once you flip it over.
  • Level off the cakes to prep for decorating.


STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE


INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups cold heavy cream.
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar or more to taste.
  • 1/4 cup warm heavy cream.
  • 1 package of unflavored gelatin.

DIRECTIONS

  • Heat up the 1/4 cup of heavy cream in the microwave for 20 seconds or till bubbles form.
  • Sprinkle in the gelatin and stir till all is dissolved.
  • In a mixing bowl, pour in most of the heavy cream leaving less than 1/4 cup out.
  • Pour the remaining heavy cream into the gelatin mixture & stir to cool it down.
  • Add the powdered sugar to the whip cream & beat till soft peaks form.
  • In a very steady stream, pour in the gelatin mixture while beating the cream until stiff peaks form.
  • Set aside while you prepare the fruits.

*fresh fruit layer

  • 15 strawberries sliced 1/4 inch thick.
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, washed & dried.
  • You can also add halved blackberries if you have those on hand.