Ingredients

Cake:

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup Crisco

3 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup water

4-1/2 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

9 egg whites

Frosting:

1 recipe lemon curd, chilled

1 recipe whipped cream, chilled

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Lemon Curd:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

Grated rind of 2 lemons

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 eggs

Whipped Cream:

3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup water

3 cups whipping cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation

Cake: Preheat oven to 350„a. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Combine milk and water. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extract. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Frosting: Gently fold chilled lemon curd into chilled whipped cream. Mix in powdered sugar. Layer and frost cake.

Lemon Curd: Cream sugar, butter, lemon rind and lemon juice. Put in double boiler, heat until almost boiling. Mix small amount of hot mixture with egg, then add egg to mixture. Heat over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Whipped Cream: Combine gelatin and water in very small saucepan. Cook and stir on low heat until gelatin dissolves. Cool until warm, but still liquid. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl at high speed of electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in gelatin slowly. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.