Lemon Verbena Angel Food Cake

by Trisha

Make lemon sugar:

• 2 cups sugar
• Zest of two lemons, preferably organic

Combine in a food processor until zest is fully integrated into the sugar. This may be used for tea, cereals or topping for desserts. Keep refrigerated on in the freezer. Use Meyer lemons if they are available.

Cake:

• 1 ? cups cake flour, sifted (do not use self rising flour)
• 1 ? cups of the lemon sugar mix
• 1 ? cups eggs whites (12 to 14 extra large eggs, or equivalent powdered egg whites)
• 1 ? teaspoon cream of tartar
• ? teaspoon salt
• ? teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup packed fresh lemon verbena leaves, finely minced (Air dry after washing before mincing.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour with the lemon sugar and set aside.

Place the egg whites in a large, very clean mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until foamy with an electric mixer. Sprinkle the cream of tartar and salt over the eggs and beat until soft peaks form. Add the lemon sugar in ? cup increments and continue beating until sugar is incorporated. Gently fold in the vanilla and lemon juice.

Fold the flour/sugar mixture in ? cup at a time. Fold in the minced lemon verbena. Turn the batter into an ungreased tube pan that has a removable bottom. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 additional minutes or until the cake is high and golden brown on top. If the top of the cake browns too quickly, you may loosely cover it with foil.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to stand five minutes. Then invert the cake over a bottle or funnel if the pan does not have supports fastened to it. Allow to cool for at least an hour. Use a bread or butter knife to cut around the sides and center of the cake pan and remove the cake from the pan. Cut between the bottom of the pan and the cake and place the cake on a serving platter. Glaze the cooled cake before serving.