Luscious Lemon Angel Roll

Luscious Lemon Angel Roll

Sponge Cake:
5 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup cold water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tarter

Angel Roll Filling:
¾ cup powdered sugar, divided
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 lemon
7 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
1 container (8oz) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
1 jar (11.75oz) strawberry ice cream topping
Powdered sugar for garnish
12 fresh whole strawberries for garnish

To make the sponge cake:
Beat the egg yolks until they turn creamy and a much lighter shade of yellow.

Add the sugar and blend it well into the yolks. Add the water and vanilla and combine well with the yolks mixture. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add it to the yolk mixture. Mix well until batter is smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until smooth, then add the cream of tartar. Continue beating until the whites are stiff and form peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter and mix slowly just until well combined (use a wooden spoon). Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined BAR pan (11x17).

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, just until a light brown color. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack, remove parchment paper from cake.

Assembling the roll:
Sprinkle ½ cup powdered sugar over cake. Place a piece of wax paper over cake. Place a cooling rack upside down over the wax paper and carefully turn cake out at once. Roll up cake in wax paper as for a jelly roll. Cool completely in the fridge.

Unroll cake, discard wax paper. Spread cake with ¼ cup ice cream topping.

Angel Roll Filling:
Combine cream cheese and the remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar; mix well. Zest whole lemon, juice lemon. Add zest and lemon juice to cream cheese mixture; combine well. Add food coloring (if desired); mix well. Fold in 1 cup cool whip.

Gently spread over ice cream topping; re-roll cake. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Slice roll with knife. Serve with remaining cool whip and fresh strawberries. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 12