Sunshine Chiffon Cake

We don't watch much TV around here; too much to do, and never enough time. But the other night we were watching Desperate Housewives, and at the end Bree's husband was waiting at midnight for the pot roast she'd promised him, and she was crying while cooking it. I guess she forgot that really, the best reason for anyone's existence is to be loved by and love another (or that's my opinion). She forgot how very important she is to him, while making her work the center of her universe. How many unhappy people do just that today? OK, I know these are imaginary people, I'm just saying....

This caused me last night to decide to try a new cake that I just knew my dearly beloved would greatly enjoy: Sunshine Chiffon Cake. My husband doesn't have a very strong sweet tooth; he won't refuse a piece of cake, but certainly will never chase a chocolate cake around the house. He loves sponge cakes, and since this was similar, I decided to try it. It took about 10 minutes from fridge to oven, and was well worth the effort. Except that I think I'd better get a "real" tube pan. I stuffed it in my Bundt pan, ungreased, as the instructions stated, and it sort of stuck in the little ribs on the pan. Ryan told me it looked moth eaten, so I offered him a dill pickle for dessert (he decided that moth eaten was good, after all).

SUNSHINE CHIFFON CAKE

7 eggs, separated
2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Combine flour, sugar, powder and salt in mixer bowl. Add water, oil, egg yolks, extract and lemon rind. Beat about 1 minute. Stop, scrape the bowl and beat one minute longer.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until stiff, but not dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the flour mixture, folding in with a rubber spatula until just blended.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10" tube pan. Bake at 325F for 60 to 75 minutes, or uintil the top springs back when lightly touched. Invert cake onto funnel or bottle, and cool completely. Drizzle with lemon glaze:

1-1/2 tbsp butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 tbsp lemon juice

Stir together the butter and sugar. Add the lemon juice bit by bit until the glaze is of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the cake and enjoy its tangy, springy goodness!
(And another reason I cater to my dearly beloved: When I was making the salad last night, a bug crawled out of the lettuce leaves which the farmer had delivered. You can hear the whole exchange, of course, in your head. Me, whispering: help! Me, softly, Help! When the bug started moving, me backing up frantically: "AIYEEEEYEEEEYEEE!!!!!")