Lemon Cream Sponge Cake

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom."

Charles Dickens

This recipe came from a community church cookbook from St. Catherines Mennonite Church and the recipe contributor was Betty P. I have changed things a wee bit with the sugared almonds and making the filling from a mix. I will post the recipe with the Lemon Filling, but a Lemon Pie Filling mix works just fine too.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour sifted with
2 tsp. baking powder and
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of hot milk
2 tbsp. butter melted in the milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Beat eggs till foamy, add sugar gradually, beat til thick and lemony.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add lemon juice.
3. Gently stir in the milk and melted butter.
4. Bake in two greased 8" pans at 375 for about 20 minutes or til golden brown.
5. Leave in pan for five minutes and then cool on a cooling rack.
6. Slice each layer in half
7. Put lemon filling between layers and dust with icing sugar, or decorate it with whipped cream.
   

Lemon Filling

2 1/2 tbsp. corn starch
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 tsp butter

1. In a double boiler, blend together corn starch and sugar, add boiling water, stirring all the time, until it is clear, about 10 minutes.
2. Beat egg, lemon juice and rind. Stir into the cornstarch mixture.
3. Cook 3 minutes. Beat in butter. Cool.
   Or just make your favorite Lemon Pie filling.
   
   

Whipped Cream icing
2 cups whip cream, whipped and sweetened to taste.
I add a stabilizer for this cake called "Whip-It by Dr. Oetker. It just helps to keep the whipping cream firm for decorating. Two packages are enough for 2 cups of whipping cream.
Take 1/2 cup of whipped cream and add it to the cooled Lemon filling.
Layer Lemon between all the layers
Decorate the cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with sugared almonds, around the edges.

Sugared Almonds
1 cup of slivered almonds
2 tbsp. sugar.

Gently stir over medium heat till sugar melts and caramelizes over the almonds
Cool and sprinkle around the cake.
(this is not a high rising cake, so don't worry if the volume isn't what you are used too)