Lemon Lime Angel Cake Roll - Cake Odyssey Bonus

It's been so hot lately and I'm not really one to complain about it.  I dread the cooped up dreary cold grayness that is winter here in Ohio.  So when it's summertime and the air is heavy and hot, I try not to make a fuss over it.  I just do my best to adjust to it.  We do have, after all, central air conditioning in our home that makes us almost chilly sometimes, if not comfortable.  And before two of my three offspring chose to break an arm, we also had the luxury of utilizing a pool pass to beat the heat.

One night last week, we got together with some friends for a cookout.  My husband and another brave soul manned the grill and I'm certain they both lost a couple of pounds just standing there while the sweat poured off of them!  A friend of mine commented on our garden's typical abundance of zucchini and how she's love to bake some bread with it but just couldn't bear the thought of turning on the oven to bake something.  We all nodded in agreement.

Sometimes, however, you need dessert.  Sometimes you just have to have something sweet.  And sure, there is ice cream and other "no bake" options, but here's a simple, light, refreshing dessert that is simple to put together and requires little oven time.  Maybe you can do the baking part early in the morning before the mercury begins to rise too high.

Lemon Lime Angel Food Cake Roll
Here's What You Need:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (3 large limes)
1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoon butter
1 package angel-food cake mix
powdered sugar

Here's What You Do:
Now, first off, let me just say that there is a very, very easy way around all of this to make it even less work in the kitchen.  It looks something like this:

Making homemade lime or lemon curd is really quite easy and this recipe shows you how to do just that.  But if you are pressed for time or just don't want to stand over a hot stove stirring and stirring, then go ahead and make a small investment and purchase the curd already done for you.  I've only cheated one time with the curd in all my years of making this dessert.  I just prefer the flavor of the homemade more.  This is the dessert my mom requests over and over again either for Mother's Day or for her birthday.

So, if you've chosen to make the curd yourself, this is how you do it.  In a 2-quart pot, mix the sugar and cornstarch with a whisk until combined.  Whisk in the lemon juice, lime juice, egg hold and 1 cup of water.  Heat this mixture to boiling over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Boil 1 minute while you continue to whisk.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.  Pour the lemon-lime mixture into a medium bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap.  It's important that the plastic wrap touches the surface of the curd so that a "skin" doesn't form on the top.  The skin is a thick, dried layer of the curd and you'd have to peel it off and wouldn't be able to (or want to!) use it.  Stick the bowl of curd in the fridge until cool; about 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom of a 15 1/2 inch x 10 1/2 inch jellyroll pan.  Line the pan with a sheet of waxed paper so that it hangs over the ends of the pan.  Prepare the angel food cake mix as directed on the package.  Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the cake is golden and the top springs back when lightly touched with a finger.

Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar to evenly coat.  Place a clean cloth towel and wire rack over the top of the cake and invert the cake in the pan.  You'll feel like a contortionist doing this!  Cool completely.

When the cake is cool, run a small metal spatula around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan.  Remove the pan and peel off the waxed paper.  Spread the cooled lemon-lime curd to within 2 inches of the edges.  Starting from a long side, roll the cake without the towel, jellyroll fashion.  Place the rolled cake, seam side down, on a long platter.  Refrigerate if not serving right away.  Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar when you serve it.  This cake serves about 12 people.  I clipped the recipe for this cake from a magazine many years ago.  I wish I could give credit to the appropriate source, but it's anybody's guess.