Angel Food Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

Angel Food Cake:

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup cake flour, sifted

12 egg whites
1/3 cup warm water

1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.

In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, lemon extract and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you the mixture has formed medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully spoon mixture into a tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a toothpick or wooden skewer. If the skewer come out clean, the cake is done. Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

Lemon Curd:

2 lemons
4 egg yolks
3/4 C sugar
4 Tbsp butter, cold

Zest the lemons.  Juice the lemons.  In a bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and zest.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a simmer.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Stir in the butter 1 Tbsp at a time.  Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and thickened (about 1 hour)

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C whipping cream
half of the above lemon curd recipe above
the zest of 1 lemon, for garnish

In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff.  In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add in lemon curd.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in whipped cream.

Spread the lemon cream cheese frosting over the entire angel food cake, including the inner center. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the top of the cake and add halved thin-lemon slices around the bottom edge of the cake.