Passover Lemon Chiffon Cake

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Regular non-Passover recipes will resume next week.

Passover Lemon Chiffon CakeIt’s always hard to find Passover desserts that people will take more than one bite of. So when a dessert elicits a YUM response, you know it’s a keeper. This cake is light and airy (it has NINE eggs in it, so it had better be light and airy!) and the flavor is not overly lemony.

The cake came together easily and getting it out of the pan was not a problem. I made this for the first seder, and when we nibbled on it the following day, it tasted even better. I think next year I may add a lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze for the top.

I apologize for the ugly photo, but I was crazy busy making most of this:
Passover Desserts 2010
and photos were the last thing on my mind.

Ingredients
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2/3 cup matzo cake meal
2/3 cup potato starch
8 egg yolks
1 egg
1 2/3 cups superfine sugar, divided
1/3 cup oil
8 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the lemon juice and grated zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes. (There should be 6 tablespoons of liquid. If not, add water.) Set aside to cool.

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift together the matzo cake meal and potato starch 4 times. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks and whole egg in the small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the mixture turns pale yellow and is very thick. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream.

Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the cooled lemon juice and zest and beat until blended. Reduce the speed to low. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Place the egg whites in the large bowl of a mixer. Using clean beaters or the whip attachment, beat the whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar at the side of the bowl, beating until soft peaks form.

With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the beaten whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites.

Gently pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch angel food pan with a removable bottom. Smooth the top. Bake in the lower 1/3 of the oven until the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Cool the cake completely in the pan. Turn the cake upright and run a thin, sharp knife around the sides of the pan, then around the center tube. Lift the cake by the center tube and remove the ring. Run a knife under the cake to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the cake and remove the tube section.

Transfer the cake to a platter. Store the cake at room temperature under a glass dome or cover with foil up to 1 week.

Recipe from the LA Times.

Comments

5 Responses to “Passover Lemon Chiffon Cake”

    chaya on 1 April 1st, 2010 2:01 am

    That is some beautiful grouping of Passover desserts. How long did that take you? Mine are mostly chocolate for our chocolate fans and nutty cookies and cake for my husband. They are all good. I am sure yours are also. Happy Holiday.

    I live in the Austin Tx. area. Can we buy lemon grass plants to get rid of bees& wasps,etc.? on 2 April 1st, 2010 8:38 am

    […] Passover Lemon Chiffon Cake : Nosh With Me […]

    Hilary on 3 April 1st, 2010 10:42 am

    Hi Chaya. I got into town on Saturday and started that night. We had to make enough for 25 people the first night and 45 people the second night, so we were busy!

    Sweets By Vicky on 4 April 1st, 2010 5:13 pm

    I may not be a fan of angel food cake but I really adore chiffon cakes! And absolutely love the look of the dessert spread! Lucky folks!

    Passover Desserts : Nosh With Me on 5 April 4th, 2014 3:01 pm

    […] Lemon Chiffon Cake […]