Cocoa Custard Cake

This is a very elegant cake for special occassions and is a bit time consuming, but it is best if made a few days ahead and refrigerated. Recipe source: bon appetit (april 1984)

Steps

To make sponge cake: preheat oven to 350-degrees f.

Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks until light.

Beat in 1 / 2 cup sugar until mixture forms ribbons when beaters are lifted.

Sift flour with baking powder and then fold it into batter in 3 batches -- the batter will be stiff.

Stir in extract.

In a clean mixing bowl , beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Beat in 1 / 4 cup sugar until peaks are stiff.

Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk / flour mixture.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and tester comes out clean.

Invert onto rack cool but do not remove pan until cooled.

Run a knife around edge of cake and invert cake onto platter.

To make custard: in a saucepan whisk together yolks , sugar and flour until smooth.

Whisk in milk.

Stir in lemon peel.

Stir over medium low heat until mixture boils.

Pour into glass or plastic bowl , discarding lemon peel.

Stir in vanilla.

Coo.

Ingredients

eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon extract, cream of tartar, egg yolks, milk, lemon peel, vanilla, blanched almonds, unsweetened cocoa, rum, orange-flavored liqueur, ladyfingers