Robert E. Lee Cake

Robert E. Lee Cake

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
8 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1½ tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks
2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
4 lemons, juiced
½ cup butter
¼ cup butter
6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons orange juice
1½ tablespoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons grated orange zest

Grease and flour four 9 inch cake pans. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, and baking powder four times. Set aside.

Beat 8 egg yolks with a rotary or electric beater until very thick, light, and creamy. Add the 2 cups sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until mixture is smooth and pale yellow. Stir in 1 grated lemon rind and juice of 1 lemon. Quickly fold in the flour mixture until well incorporated.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, whip the 8 egg white until peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the white into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Spoon into cake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pans. Loosen edges with a knife and turn out on cake racks to cool while you prepare the filling and frosting.

To Make Lemon Jelly Filling: mix 6 egg yolks with 2 cups sugar, grated rind of 2 lemons and juice of 4 lemons. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Add ½ cup butter and continue cooking another 15 to 20 minutes. Cool filling thoroughly. Makes enough for 1 4 layer cake.

If you want to frost this cake you can use this Lemon Orange Frosting

1/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 tablespoon grated orange rind
2½ tablespoons orange juice
1½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup flaked coconut.

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add next 5 ingredients, beating until smooth. Stir in coconut. Makes enough for one 4 layer cake.