Blueberry Lemon Angel Food Shortcake
This adorable little cake is the perfect dessert after a heavy meal or for a light and fresh treat. This airy lemon shortcake style dessert is topped with fresh blueberries and cream, and garnished with lemon zest.
Ingredients for Angel Food Cake:
( * ) Indicates product brands sold at Orchard Nutrition Center
2/3 cup - Organic All-purpose flour *King Arthur Flour
2/3 cup - Organic Cake Flour
1 1/3 cup - Organic Powdered Sugar *Wholesome Brand
1 cup - Organic Sugar *Wholesome Brand
1 1/2 tsp - Organic Cream of Tartar *Spicely Organics Brand
1 small pinch - Salt *Redmond Real Salt (Fine)
12 - Organic Egg Whites; At room temp *Judy's Family Farm Eggs
3 tsp - Organic Vanilla Extract *Simply Organic Brand
1 lg or 2 small Organic Lemons - Fine zest only Simply Organic Brand
Ingredients for Vanilla Cream:
( * ) Indicates product brands sold at Orchard Nutrition Center
2 cups - Organic Heavy Whipping Cream *Humboldt Creamery Brand
4 tbsp - Organic Powdered Sugar *Wholesome Brand
2 tsp - Organic Vanilla Extract *Simply Organic Brand
Misc. Ingredients:
2 cups - Fresh Organic Blueberries
Directions:
If you don't have time to bake the cake from scratch use a premade angel food cake mix and make according to directions, adding in the lemon zest before baking. Preheat and prep baking pans per step 1, and skip instructions for scratch baking to step 5.
Preheat Oven and Prep Baking Pan: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of two 9 x 13 cake pans with parchment paper. Do not grease sides or bottom of pan.
Sift dry ingredients together: Combine Powdered sugar, all purpose flour, and cake flour in bowl. Sift together into second bowl two times.
Whip egg whites and remaining ingredients together: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla extract, cream of tartar, and salt until they leave soft peaks. Gradually add sugar a few tablespoons at a time while continuing to beat until sugar is incorporated.
Combine dry ingredients with whipped ingredients: Portion out your dry ingredients into 4 equal amounts and fold them together with the whipped mixture one portion at a time until just incorporated. A gentle light touch is important here when folding together. To aggressive and you will lose the air you whipped into your batter. When Folding in the last portion of dry ingredients add the lemon zest.
Bake and cool cake: Pour batter into prepared 9 x 13 pans and bake for 20 - 30 min or until cake springs back to the touch. When done remove from oven and allow cake to cool inside pan placed upside down while propped up or placed face down on a wire rack to allow air flow. When cake has cooled completely, it is safe to remove from pan. Run a knife along edges of the pan and gently shake pan until cake comes free onto a serving plate. Remove parchment paper.
Prepare Vanilla Cream: Whip together powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla until you have stiff peaks. Fill pastry piping bag with whipped cream mixture for final cake steps.
Prepare and decorate cake: Using a round pastry cutter, cut out rounds of the angel food cake and set aside. If you do not have a cutter, then use a knife and a round guide (Lid or other round piece) to cut out rounds by hand, making them as uniform as possible. When done and ready to plate cake, place one round on plate, add a layer of whipped cream, and blueberries. Add another cake round and top with whipped cream, berries, and left-over lemon zest. Serve and enjoy!
Tip: Feel free to use any fruit in substitute of blueberries! Enjoy with any of your favorite fruits!
