Lemon Chiffon Cake

I've been watching so much The American Baking Competition that I've actually wanted to bake. But when I watched them make the chiffon cake, I remembered how I've never been successful in making a coconut chiffon cake. Mind you, my last attempt was when I was 18 and had no clue about cooking nor baking other than "following" instructions. HAH! Anywho, I just wanted to give it another go. I found this recipe here. I WAS going to follow it to a T.............................but then I decided to change it ever so slightly. I can't help it! It's in my nature. Maybe that's why all those attempts at that infamous coconut chiffon cake flopped. Lol. :P

Lemon Chiffon Cake

(serves 12-16)

Ingredients:

• 7 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tsps lemon zest
• 2 Tbsps lemon juice
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp white vinegar
• 3 cups icing sugar

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• Dash of salt
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (optional - if you have any left over from juicing all the lemons)

Directions:

1. If eggs aren't already at room temperature, put them in a hot water bath for a few minutes while you gather all the ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 325F.
3. Separate eggs - whites in a large bowl and yolks in a small bowl. Add the white vinegar to the egg whites and beat on medium until you get stiff peaks. Set aside.
4. In the small bowl with the egg yolks, add the water, canola oil, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix until everything's well incorporated. Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Beat on slow until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another two seconds, if needed.
6. Fold in the egg whites until the batter is no longer streaky.
7. Gently spoon/pour into an ungreased tube pan. Run a butter knife through the batter to remove any excess bubbles. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the cake is golden and the top springs back when lightly tapped.
8. Invert the pan and cool for about an hour.
9. In the meantime, combine icing sugar, softened butter, 1/3 cup lemon juice, dash of salt and any additional lemon zest in a small bowl and beat until smooth.
10. Once cake is cooled, run a butter knife or metal spatula along the sides and inner tube of the pan to loosen cake. Gently pop the cake out of the tube pan and place is inverted on a cake stand/serving plate. Pour icing over cake and smooth over with a spatula, letting some icing spill over the sides.
11. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or just as is.

I like mine without any icing, actually. It's already pretty darn sweet in my opinion. :)