Light as a feather, filled with a rich lemony filling, Lemon Angel Roll is a match made in heaven. Impressive in looks, it’s surprisingly easy to make. Angel food cakes have enjoyed a love affair with southern cooks for a long time…I recall angel food cakes filled with strawberries and topped with whipped cream. Someone came up with the idea to cut an angel food cake in half, scoop out a tunnel on each half, filled…usually with a light and airy strawberry cream filling or peaches, when in season, paired beautifully with angel food cake.

One of my most distinct memories of angel food cakes was for a day long double event- my high school sorority had dubbed as the Heaven and Hell party (yes, it’s sounds scandalous- we were teenagers! Actually it was fully chaperoned!). The event was held in beautiful homes during the summertime when naturally- the weather was quite warm!  The afternoon party was a swim party- the dessert was Devil’s Food cakes, spicy foods, including deviled eggs’ then lways.. little bowls of  red hot candies were scattered around.   In the morning, we hosted a ‘heavenly event’. The food was…well, it was divine.  Angel Biscuits filled with slivers of pink ham, pink fluff set in molds, turned out and centers filled fruit- often, cotton candy, tiny petit fours and of course Angel Food Cake featured prominently for the morning party. We wore pretty sundresses, I think one year I wore pastel pink…or maybe it was blue. Jelly Roll cakes seemed to have been in fashion too.

Now, I’ve made angel food cakes and of course, the Roulage which is a rolled flourless chocolate cake- however the Lemon Angel Roll, is a recipe that has been languishing in my recipe box for over 30 years. Okay, I don’t have a recipe box. Still, I do have recipes like this Lemon Roll, I run across about once a year, though I never seem to get ‘around’ to it.  I mean come on- a rolled cake? I’m no pastry chef. This was the year I thought. If the Lemon Angel Roll failed? Who would know? Or care? So, while I had that jelly roll pan out to make the Roulage… I made a Lemon Angel Roll. What I found was this- if I can make it? You can!

Here’s how you make Lemon Angel Roll….

I chose to follow the old recipe and use the Angel Food Cake mix since this was a test run…A tip: Do not overwhip the cake mix and … use 3/4 of the batter if you’re using a jelly roll pan, otherwise it will overflow. Discard or bake the excess in a mini muffin pan. You may have excess filling- I would recommend filling the Lemon Angel Roll as thick as possible and saving the excess to serve on the side. The original recipe called for coating the outside of the roll with the excess filling then coating with shredded coconut on the top and sides. I feel this would have been a better combination if filled with Lime – and this would be a wonderful variation. The original also called for bottled lemon juice- no ma’am, use the real deal and zest the lemons first! I preferred the more classic presentation of confectioners sugar and berries. The Lemon Angel Roll seems to fit with a few things we’ve been sharing on Instagram and an upcoming post on Memory Gardens! Hopefully an angelic photo or two as well.

Of all the flavors of the south, lemon might just be one of the most prominent flavors in my memories of good food and good times. All the best to you this coming week!

Love y’all, Camellia

*The old recipe came from a thin cookbook put out by Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk. *All photographs are obviously mine!