Lemon Picnic Cake

OOoooo ... Lemon Cake! I love lemon cake; sponge cake, Bundt cake, iced cake, icebox cake ... I love when someone makes lemon cake. At my recent bakery Open House, the Lemon Mousse Cake and Key Lime Cake were the first samples to go! I think Lemon Cake reminds us all of summertime. While in Ohio right now, it's raining and a bit cool, we all know summer is coming. This is a very easy cake to make, bake and take. Served with some fresh berries on the side, you have a delicious treat and as always, a Bundt pan takes all the decorating off your hands.

Lemon Picnic Cake

Cake:

4 eggs, seperated

2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. butter, softened

3 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 c. whole milk

1 T. grated lemon zest

2 T. lemon juice

1 t. vanilla extract

1st Glaze:

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 T. grated lemon zest

2nd Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

1 - 2 T. lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small mixer bowl beat egg whites at high speed, scraping bowl often, just until peaks form (2 - 3 minutes). Set aside.

2. In large mixer bowl combine 2 c. sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (2 - 3 minutes). Add egg yolks; continue beating until creamy (1 - 2 minutes).

3. In small bowl stir together flour and baking powder. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture alternately with milk to butter mixture, until well blended. Add lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Continue beating until well mixed. By hand, gently fold in egg whites.

4. Pour batter into greased and floured 12 cup Bundt pan or 10" tube pan. Bake for 50 - 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. In a 1-quart saucepan stir together all glaze ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved (3 - 4 minutes). Without removing cake from pan, poke holes in cake with a toothpick; pour glaze over cake. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Place cake on serving plate.

6. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for glazing consistency (thin enough to pour easily, but thick enough to stick without pooling too much onto serving plate); drizzle over cooled cake.