Pink Lemonade Cake

In our house, the Birthday Boy or Birthday Girl gets to choose their cake.  This year, someone in our house is celebrating a birthday that ends in an '0' and they aren't all that happy about it.  So, when said Birthday Boy didn't choose a cake, I let Madeleine pick.  She chose a Pink Lemonade Cake from Cook's Country.

It was pretty easy to make and sugaring the lemon slices was not as messy as I had imagined (she actually did them).  Probably not the cake the Birthday Boy was envisioning, but that's what you get when you don't make up your mind!

Pink Lemonade Cake

Cake:

5 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (2 lemons)

Red food coloring

Frosting
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened, cut into 8 pieces
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Red food coloring
 

Pink Sugared Lemon Slices:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large lemon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons pink decorating sugar

Cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Whisk egg yolks, water, oil, lemon zest and juice, and 5 to 7 drops food coloring together in medium bowl until smooth. Whisk yolk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Whisk one-third of whipped egg whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites in 2 additions until well combined. Pour mixture into ungreased 16-cup tube pan. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean and cracks in cake appear dry, 55 to 65 minutes. Invert pan onto wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan, about 3 hours.

Frosting: Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and confectioners' sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cream cheese one piece at a time until no lumps remain. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and 3 to 4 drops food coloring, and mix until incorporated.

Lemon Slices: Combine water and granulated sugar in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves. Add lemon slices and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and allow syrup and lemon slices to cool completely, about 1 hour. Transfer lemon slices to wire rack to drain, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle both sides of lemon slices with decorating sugar.

Unmold cake onto plate and frost top and sides in even layer. Decorate along bottom edge with sugared lemon slices and serve.