Lemon Chiffon Cake with Lemon Filling

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Stir together flour, ¾ cup (175 mL) sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together egg yolks, eggs, oil and lemon rind. Combine lemon juice with enough water to make ⅔ cup (150 mL); stir into yolk mixture. Set aside.

Beat egg whites with electric mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar, about 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.

Whisk yolk mixture into flour mixture until well blended. Gently fold egg white mixture into egg yolk and flour mixture until blended. Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch (4 L) tube pan.

Bake until top springs back when gently pressed and a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Immediately invert cake pan; if pan does not have legs, rest tube opening on neck of bottle or funnel or on bottom of glass or can. Cool upside down for a couple hours.

When cake is cool, run a thin spatula or knife around the side of the pan and centre tube to loosen cake. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Slice horizontally into 3 equal layers.

Filling: Whip cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold about 1 cup (250 mL) whipped cream into lemon pie filling until blended. Spread half of lemon mixture evenly over bottom layer of cake. Continue layering with cake layers and filling.

Spread remaining whipped cream over top and side of cake. Refrigerate cake for several hours before serving for easier slicing. Garnish with lemon rind, if desired.