OLD-FASHIONED LEMON CAKE

OLD-FASHIONED LEMON CAKE see SOURCES end of document

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375° [BAKE 350°]; line bottom of cake tins with parchment or wax paper.
Cream together:	1 cup butter [½] 3 cups sugar [1½] [pulverized sugar is like icing sugar, but most icing sugar contains cornstarch]
Add gradually, one at a time:	5 egg yolks [3]  - beat egg whites separately until stiff to add later
Sift together and then add:	4 cups sifted cake flour [2] 4 tsp baking powder [2] ½ tsp salt [½] [likely butter was salted in original recipe]
alternately  with:	1 cup plain yogurt [½] [sweet milk was un-pasteurized and contained beneficial bacteria]
Stir in:	1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice [½] 2 Tbsp lemon rind [1]
Fold in:	5 egg whites, stiffly beaten [3]
Divide batter evenly between [two] three round cake tins, place in 375° oven and REDUCE HEAT to 350° immediately after closing the oven door.
FoodNotes: 1. Beat the sugar, butter and egg yolks very well. Fold the egg whites in well; otherwise the cake top will brown unevenly. “The mode of mixing must be very light, rather cutting down through the cake batter than beating it; beating the eggs makes them light, but heating the batter makes the cake tough.” 2. This cake keeps well and is complemented beautifully by fresh strawberries, blueberries and/or raspberries. 3. Whip cream topping may be used, but consider stabilizing the whip cream with 1 tsp of plain gelatin and 1 tbsp cold water: combine the gelatin and water in a custard cup and set it into a small pan of boiling water, leaving it without stirring until it is clear. Cool to room temperature. Combine 1½ cups whip cream, 3 tbsp icing sugar and ½ tsp vanilla, beat together to combine and continue to beat while pouring the gelatin in a slow stream into the whip cream. Beat until soft peaks form. 4. CUPCAKES: Add ½ cup unsweetened coconut to the batter and drop by ice-cream scoop into lined muffin tins. Spread each cupcake with lemon cream cheese icing and dip icing into coconut. (Make ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.)