Lemon Whipped Cream Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 3/4 C flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 C sugar (divided)
• 1/2 C applesauce
• 6 eggs (separated)
• 3/4 C cold water
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 C sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 tsp cream of tarter

Frosting

• 2 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 T sugar (fine or powdered)
• pinch of cream of tarter

**You will also want to check out 
Easy Ways to Make Whipped Cream You Didn’t Know Exist – (And 15 Best Whipped Cream Recipes)

Directions

For the cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix your wet ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl: 6 egg yolks (save white in a separate bowl), 1/2 C applesauce, 3/4 C cold water, 3 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon zest.
3. Sift together your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: 1 3/4 C flour, 1 T baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 C of the sugar.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until mixture is smooth and incorporated.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tarter until it becomes foamy. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 C sugar and beat until stiff, white peaks form.
6. Gently fold in the egg white mixture and the 1 C coconut flakes to the batter and slowly mix until incorporated.
7. Divide batter and pour into two 9 inch greased cake pans.
8. Bake 40 minutes. You’ll know it’s cooked when the top feels springy, and if you insert a toothpick, it comes out clean.
9. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting

1. Mix 2 C cold heavy whipping cream with 1/8 tsp vanilla and 3 T of sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until it thickens.
2. Add 2 T lemon juice, and then taste.
3. Feel free to add more sugar or lemon to fit your taste. (I believe whipped cream frosting is better less sweet.)
4. If you need to thicken or stabilize your frosting, add just a pinch of cream of tarter.
5. You want to mix the cream so it’s thick and creamy; it should not be runny, but if you over beat it, you’ll have lemon butter – which isn’t bad, it just won’t work for your frosting!
6. When cakes are completely cooled, add a layer of frosting between the cakes (or lemon preserves or curd), then frost the outside.
7. Top with some freshly grated lemon zest and enjoy.

So tell me, are you a traditionalist when it comes to birthday cakes (think Chocolate Sundae Cake) or would you have lemon cake for your birthday?