Recipe: Algonquin Golf Club's Lemon Cake - Micha, I found your Lemon Cake recipe!!!

Dear Micha,

Sometimes I think I should have been a detective instead of a grade school teacher! When I look for something, I always find it...went to my local library and I found the Family Circle, March 2006 issue.

Under "Your Favorite Restaurant Desserts", pastry chefs across America share their recipes for readers' best-loved cakes and pies...

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ALGONQUIN GOLF CLUB'S LEMON CAKE

The Algonquin Golf Club is located in Glendale, MO. Recipe requested by Joy Marr. "We had family in town for a wedding and they couldn't stop raving about over this cake. I had to have the recipe".

Makes: 18 servings
Prep: 1 hour
Bake: at 350 degrees for 12 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes

Lemon Curd:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks

Pastry Cream:
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt

Sponge Cake:
9 eggs, separated
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
juice and zest of 3 lemons
2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tsp. baking powder

Assemble:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Lemon Curd:
In a medium size saucepan, bring sugar, lemon juice, salt and 1/2 c. water to a boil. In a medium size bowl, whisk together cornstarch, egg yolks and 1/3 c. water. Quickly whisk egg yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook until thickened and clear yellow, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic and refrigerate.

2. Pastry Cream:
In a second medium size saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in cream, half-and-half, egg yolks, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until consistency of sour cream, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover surface with plasatic and refrigerate.

3. Sponge Cake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 12x7x1-inch foil baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. Beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside. In a second large bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until light colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest, then fold in flour and baking powder. Fold in egg whites. Divide batter among the prepared pans, a scant 3 cups per pan. Spread batter so that it is level. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Immediately invert layers onto racks; remove pans. Cool completely.

4. Assemble:
Whip heavy cream and confectioners' sugar together to stiff peaks. Fold into cooled pastry cream. Place one cake layer on serving platter. Top with half of the lemon curd (about 1 cup), spreading almost to edges of cake. Spread on a generous cup of pastry cream. Repeat with anbother cake layer, the remaining lemon curd and another generous cup of pastry cream. Spread top of cake with remaining pastry cream. Run a cake comb through the top, or simply swirl decoratively. Refrigerate before serving to firm slightly.

Micha, you were right, the cake sounds incredibly delicious. The picture in the magazine shows a 3 layer square-cut piece of lemon cake.

Let us know how it turns out.

Hugs, Gina