Lemon Cake for the Pregnant Lady

In this case the pregnant lady is me! We are so happy to be expecting our second baby. This is a dream come true for us and we are looking forward to hold our baby in our arms.

With the joy of expecting a little one has come the morning sickness and me being sick pretty much everyday. Unfortunately this pregnancy is totally different than the one I had with Cami, I could pretty much eat a cow everyday until the day that I went into labor and I had a tall glass of milk and 2 potato rolls before going for my C-Section! ( I really didn't know when it was going to be my next meal and I wanted to be prepared). I am happy to report that I gained 80 happy and nutritious pounds.

The story with this baby is completely different, not only I have to deal with the 300 hundred test been schedule to me because I am over 35, but I have been sick since the first day I had a positive result.
I can't eat, I can't see meat, eggs or pretty much anything.
The only thing I am surviving on is rice, tomato, onions and lemons.same.thing,every.day. If I am having a good day I can eat a little pasta, bread and a little fruit ( I have to say that Saturday I was craving nachos and I was able to eat a portion that would take any of you a week to eat)

 I am having a  lack of motivation for many things, so far I just want to be in bed 24/7.

Since I have been having lemons as part of my new unwanted "diet" ,I decided to make this Lemon Swiss Roll  that I made in one of my classes at ICE, I love it and I was able to eat a little portion of it, I gave the rest to a good friend of mine.

Lemon Swiss Roll

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 1/4 cups of cake flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray bottom of pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper.

1-Sift cake flour
1-Separate eggs, placing whites in a bowl for an electric mixer, put yolks in a small bowl.
3-Beat the eggs whites with a pinch of salt , until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks are formed.
4-Continue beating and slowly add sugar in a steady stream. Beat 5 to 10 minutes until egg whites are stiff and no longer grainy.
5- Put mixer on very low speed and mix in slightly whisked egg yolks and the lemon juice.
6-Remove bowl from machine and fold flour mixture.
7-Spread batter in prepared pan ( I used a half sheet 12x18)
8-Bake 20 to 30 minutes. cool in pan.

LEMON CURD

8 large egg yolks

Grated zest of 4 lemons
1 1/2 cups of  freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
8 oz  unsalted butter
4 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 tea spon of salt

1-Combine lemon zest, lemon juice,butter, cornstarch, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking  constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Bring to a simmer.

2-Whisk the egg yolks together in a bowl.
3-Beat one quarter of the liquid into the egg yolks.
4-Add the yolk mixture to the remaining lemon mixture and cook over low/ medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil, about 1 minute.
3.Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming. Let cool and  refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.

Spread the lemon curd over the cooled cake, be generous!

Carefully roll the cake up to form a roll.

Finished roll

I decorated the cake just piping some Swiss Meringue on it (recipe coming soon or there are plenty online), I really didn't feel too creative.

Enjoy!!

Have a great week everyone and please keep me in your prayers.