1 cup butter; no margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs; large *
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
8 tablespoons rum
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour; unbleached, sifted
----butter-cream filling----
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
6 egg yolks; large
1 tablespoon rum
1 cup butter;no margarine,unsalted
------praline topping-------
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup almonds; blanched, sliced
-------apricot glaze--------
1/2 cup apricot jam
|* Egg yolks must be beaten into the cake one at a time so keep the yolks
separated from each other.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++ CAKE: To prepare cake, cream butter and sugar until very light and
fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Mix in lemon
rind and 2 T rum. Sift baking powder and flour together. Gently mix into
the butter mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold
the egg whites into the batter. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch tube
pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 60 minutes or until
the cake tests done. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out on
wire rack to cool completely. Slice cake crosswise into 3 layers. Pour
about 2 T of rum over each layer. Butter-Cream Filling: For butter-cream
filling, boil sugar and water to 238 degrees F. (soft ball stage). Beat
egg yolks until very light and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes. While still
beating the egg yolks, add the sugar syrup in a thin stream. Beat 5
minutes more, until very thick and doubled in bulk. Slowly beat in the
rum. Beat the butter in a small bowl until soft and light. Beat butter
into the egg mixture a little at a time. Continue beating until thick.
Chill until mixture can be spread. If mixture is too soft, beat in
additional butter. PRALINE TOPPING: While butter-cream is cooking, spread
2 T butter thickly in a 9 X 13-inch baking pan for praline topping. Then
in a 1-quart saucepan, boil sugar an water to 238 degrees F. (soft ball
stage). Stir in almonds; cook until mixture reaches 310 degrees F. or
until syrup caramelizes. Pour syrup into prepared baking pan. When cool,
break up praline and grind it in a blender for few seconds. APRICOT
GLAZE: Finally heat jam and press through a strainer or sieve to make
apricot glaze. CAKE ASSEMBLY: To assemble cake, place bottom layer of cake
on cake plate and spread with half of the butter cream. Repeat with
second layer. Place third layer on top. Spread top and sides of cake
with apricot glaze. Press praline powder onto glaze. Any remaining
butter cream can be used to decorate the top of the cake.