About This Recipe
This super easy recipe for Lemon Angel Food Cake is the perfect dessert for any holiday or any summer entertaining event. In fact, it’s good during all the months of the year. All you need is seven ingredients (including angel food cake natch!) and a few hours of chilling time to make a fabulous recipe that is gorgeous and delicious. In fact, the most difficult thing about this dessert is finding the space in the fridge to store it!
You can make your own angel food cake, of course, but almost every grocery store in the country sells them. Those cakes are usually very good quality and they are such a time saver. I use them without apology.
The soft and tender angel food cake is perfectly complemented by the rich and sweet and tart lemon filling and frosting. If you love lemon, there’s nothing better than the combination of lemon curd, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and whipped cream.
You can dress up this dessert if you’d like in many ways. Add some fresh raspberries or strawberries to the layers. Garnish with some finely crushed lemon candy, or add strips of candied lemon peel.
Tips for the best Lemon Angel Food Cake:
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake and use a sawing motion. Never press hard on an angel food cake or you will compress it.
- Buy a really good brand of lemon curd. My favorite is Dickinson’s Lemon Curd.
- Make sure the cream cheese is properly softened or it won’t blend well with the rest of the ingredients. Microwave it on 50% power for 1 minute intervals until it’s soft but not melted.
Why this recipe works:
- The lemon curd is lightened and softened with the dairy ingredients. And because the sugar is already dissolved in the lemon curd and sweetened condensed milk, the filling is perfectly creamy. And the powdered sugar will dissolve quickly in the cream, unlike graduated sugar.
- While it’s chilling, the cake will absorb some of the moisture from the filling, adding a bit of flavor and making it even more tender. This helps thicken the filling so it is the perfect consistency for slicing.
- This cake will last a few days in the fridge. If you have any left.
Steps
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1
Done
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Cut the angel food cake into three layers crosswise. The easiest way to do this is with a serrated knife. Work slowly and cut gently so you don't squish the cake. Let the knife do the work. |
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2
Done
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In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until fluffy. Gradually beat in the lemon curd and lemon juice. |
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3
Done
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Then, in a small bowl, beat the cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla until stiff peaks form. |
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4
Done
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Fold the cream into the lemon curd mixture until combined. |
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5
Done
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Re-asemble the cake, using a thick layer of the lemon curd mixture in between the layers, on top of the cake, and on the sides. Cover and chill for 4 to 6 hours before serving. |
