Dairy-Free Lemon Cake Recipe

My daughter made the most luscious, from-scratch birthday cake for me the other day. It was a white cake with lemon filling and lemon frosting. She even made a decoration for the top: the word "love" which she wrote on waxed paper with melted carob, and then refrigerated until it was hard. We enjoyed the cake so much that we thought we would share our alteration of the vintage Betty Crocker recipes.  We've altered the ingredients so that the cake would be dairy free.

Dairy-Free Snowflake Cake

Originally from the 1961 Betty Crocker Cookbook, altered to be lactose free

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp. vanilla

4 egg whites (1/2 to 2/3 cup)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer pans. Using a whisk, thoroughly blend flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Add shortening, soy milk, and vanilla, and beat for 2 minutes, scraping bowl.  Add egg whites and then beat for two more minutes, scraping bowl several times. (We used a stand mixer.) Pour into pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Dairy-Free Lemon Filling

Originally from the 1961 Betty Crocker Cookbook, altered to be lactose free

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup water

1 Tbsp. shortening

2 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon rind

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Bring to boil while stirring constantly, then boil for one minute while continuing to stir. Remove from heat and add the shortening, lemon rind and juice. Stir thoroughly and then cool completely. (We placed the pan on a heat pad in the fridge to cool.)

Dairy-Free Lemon Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon rind

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Soy milk as needed

Stir powdered sugar, shortening, lemon rind and juice in mixing bowl.  Slowly add tiny amounts of soy milk until frosting is of spreading consistency. Beat until light and fluffy. (We used a stand mixer.)