Lemon Mousse Cake

Ingredients

• Sponge
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• Syrup
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp water
• Mousse
• 1 1/2 tbsp powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 eggs
• 5 1/2 tbsp sugar

Methods

1. Sponge
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan with parchment but do not grease pan. Warm eggs in their shells in a bowl of hot water for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In a mixer or with an electric beater, whip eggs with sugar over high speed for 15 minutes.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
5. In a separate bowl mix butter, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. With the mixer on medium low speed, add flour mixture all at once. Let mix for 30 seconds and add butter mixture all at once.
6. Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until cake springs back when you touch it.
7. Syrup
8. Heat sugar, lemon juice and water together until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
9. Mousse
10. Soften gelatin in lemon juice with lemon zest added.
11. Whip cream to soft peaks and chill.
12. Warm eggs in their shells in warm water for 2 to 3 minutes.
13. Whip eggs with sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. While eggs are whipping, melt gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring. When eggs have doubled in volume, fold in whipped cream by hand.
14. With mixer on low speed, add gelatin mixture and blend for 10 seconds.
15. To Assemble
16. Place an 8-inch ring mold (or spring form pan ring) on a plate. Trim sponge cake to 6 inches in diameter and slice into 2 horizontally.
17. Place one disc inside the mold. Brush lightly with lemon syrup. Pour half of the mousse over the cake, letting it spill over the sides.
18. Spread mousse with a palette knife, getting mousse into every space. Place second cake disc on top of mousse and brush with syrup.
19. Pour the rest of the mousse on top and spread evenly. Chill for 3 hours.
20. Removing the mold is easy with the use of a blow dryer! Blow hot air over metal ring to warm slightly. Gently lift mold (if it seems to be sticking, keep warming with the dryer.) You will have a cake with sharp edges and perfect sides!
21. Garnish cake in the center with fresh berries.