Lemon Mousse Cake

Ingredients

For the Sponge Cake

6 large or extra large eggs, room temperature is best

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour, sifted

2 tbsp melted salted butter

2 ounces Limoncello Liqueur (optional, for soaking into the cake once it is baked)

For the Lemon Curd

6 lightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup sugar

½ cup fresh lemon juice

zest of two lemons, finely minced

½ cup butter cut into small pieces

For the Lemon Mousse

1/2 of the batch lemon curd, previously prepared and chilled

2 cups whipping cream

2 tbsp rounded icing sugar, powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp rounded icing sugar, powdered sugar

For the candied lemon peel

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup water

peel of one lemon

1/2 cup additional white sugar to roll the candied peel in

Instructions

To prepare the Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan with parchment paper but do NOT grease the sides. Greasing the sides will not allow the cake to rise well and since the cake is cooled in the pan, the ungreased sides provide support for the cake as it cools so that it will not shrink. (See NOTE for 9 inch Springform Pan)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a whisk attachment, combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium high speed for about 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy and pale in color.

Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium low and with the mixer running, begin to continuously sprinkle in rounded tablespoons of the flour. Stop the mixer as soon as the flour is fully incorporated.

Remove 1 to 2 cups of the sponge cake batter and mix it with the melted butter.

Immediately add this mixture back into the main batter, folding it in very gently with a rubber spatula. Make sure the butter mixture is fully mixed in but be careful not to over mix the batter when folding as this can cause the batter to deflate.