Six-Layer Lemon Chiffon Cake

I will be taking a break from this blog and will be back the second week of November.

Before I go on "vacation" here's a sweet treat for you which I made last Saturday for my daughter's birthday: the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth Six-Layer Chiffon Cake with Cointreau flavored buttercream frosting and served with red-tinted crumbled toffee crunch. The recipe is adapted from a Filipino recipe called Seven-Layer Toffee Crunch Cake (FOOD magazine Special Recipe Collection issue). This is a very easy cake recipe to make and I can assure you it is the best cake I had in over 15 years, the cake literally melts in my mouth.

Seven-Layer Toffee Crunch Cake With Strawberries And Cream
for the lemon chiffon cake
2¼ C sifted cake flour
1½ C sugar
1 T sifted baking powder
1 tsp pure lemon extract
zest of one lemon
1 tsp salt
½ C vegetable oil
¾ C water
5 egg yolks
8 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar

for the toffee crunch
1½ C sugar
¼ C light corn syrup
¼ C water
1 T well sifted baking soda

for the whipped cream
8 ounces cream cheese
2 T orange liqueur
3 C heavy cream, whipped
2/3 C powdered sugar

for garnish
fresh strawberries

• Make the lemon chiffon cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of four 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup of the sugar, lemon extract, lemon zest, salt, oil, water, and egg yolks. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat until frothy. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar while continuing to beat on medium speed until stiff but not dry. Fold in 2 cups of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold into the rest of the egg whites until mixed. Divide among the pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tests are done. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. When cool, slice the cakes into halves.
• Prepare the whipped cream frosting: In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese to soften. Add remaining ingredients and continue to beat until fluffy (I did not make this icing recipe, I used Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting because I can't stand the sandy tongue-feel of powdered sugar).
• Prepare the toffee crunch: Generously grease an 8-inch square pan with butter. In a thick large saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, and water and heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Clip a thermometer on the side of the pan. Allow to boil on high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook to 300 degrees. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour into the buttered pan. Allow to set completely before breaking into small pieces with a small knife and fork.
• To assemble: Secure a cake layer on a serving platter with a little of the frosting. Frost in between layers, the sides, and top of cake. Garnish the sides and top of cake with the toffee crunch pieces. Decorate top of cake with whole strawberries.