Lemon Icebox Cake

Luscious lemon cloud on a plate,

that's what this is.

Rose's Lemon Icebox Cake

is lighter than air,

what I call

a 

Bridge Lady Dessert.

Growing up 

my brother and I 

were witness

to our mom's

bridge groups

trying to outdo

each other

when it came to desserts.

We were the happy

recipients

of leftovers.

Start with an angel food cake.

Rose's angel food cakes are divine.

They are perfectly sweetened

and light as a feather.

This is not one of her's!

It was either a store bought

cake or no icebox cake.

Humidity was up

and

it was an exhausting week.

I would have had 

a nervous breakdown

had 

it fallen out of the pan 

in a splat.

The ethereal filling

takes a lot of lemon zest.

I detest

making lemon zest.

Is that a haiku?

I had been eyeing this bag

of pink lemons at Trader Joe's.

It reminds me of a grapefruit.

Lemon curd requires loads of patience

but is so worth it.

Italian meringue requires a stiff drink

or at least steadying one's nerves

and taking the sugar syrup head on.

Folded together with whipped cream 

and 

the lemon curd,

well, I could easily have stopped right there.

I was honestly shocked how delicious 

this concoction is.

Slicing a top  and bottom ring

off the trimmed cake,

the rest is cut or torn into pieces.

The humidity was already

starting to cause

the cake to moisten

so I had to tear it apart.

Layered with the filling

and packed in the frig 

for twelve hours.

Twelve hours?!

It was a very long twelve hours.

Plain

With Rose's wonderful

raspberry sauce.

This recipe

is an

absolute winner.

~

The Baking Bible

by

Rose Levy Beranbaum