Royal Raspberry White Cake

Quite a name, right?  I dreamed it up all by myself (small accomplishment, I know, but still....)

This is my Valentine's Day cake.  It was beautiful.  It was delicious.  It was lower in calories than your average cake.  It was heart friendly.  I need to make another.  Maybe tonight.

ROYAL RASPBERRY WHITE CAKE

Cake:

2-1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup Stevia*
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites
1-1/3 cups sour milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Pour 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into a 2-cup measuring cup, and add nonfat milk to make the 1-1/3 cup; set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, Stevia, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk (this has the same effect as sifting, but with less work).  Add the egg whites, oil, sour milk and extracts, beat on low until combined, then on high for 2 minutes.  Turn into 2 layer cake pans, and bake 27 to 35 minutes, or until they test done.  Let them cool 10 minutes in the pan, and then to room temperature on a rack.  While it's baking, make the Raspberry Filling so it can properly cool.

Raspberry Filling:

1 cup frozen raspberries, not thawed
1/4 cup Stevia*
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

In a small saucepan, stir the raspberries with the sugar, Stevia and cornstarch until the berries are coated.  Add the water, and cook at medium heat until the berries start to fall apart and the sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature.  (This is more than enough for the cake; store the leftovers in the fridge, because it's seriously great on rolls for breakfast.)

Royal Frosting:

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Beat the egg whites until they are somewhat fluffy.  In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar and water; cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sugar is entirely dissolved and the mixture simmers (it will be clear with no visible grains).  Stir the extracts into the sugar, and then, with the mixer running at low speed, drizzle the melted sugar into the egg whites.  Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat for 7 minutes.  It has to be the full 7 minutes, or the frosting will be too soft, and start to slide off your cake the next day, instead of looking pretty.

Assembly:

Pretty obvious, really,  Put one layer of the cake on a plate.  Top with Raspberry Filling.  Put the other layer on top of the filling.  Frost with your Royal Frosting.  Be prepared for everyone to admire your beautiful cake.  And then be prepared for everyone to eat it all, if not that night, then for breakfast the next day.

*Note: Stevia reduces the sugar in the cake. You can replace this with sugar, if you're not watching your caloric intake, or if you don't happen to have it in the house.  No one can taste the difference, believe me.

Happy Thursday, everyone!