I heard from some of you who
had read about Bon’s Lemon Cake that I wrote about in my most recent All About
Food column. The Old-Fashioned Triple Lemon Cake recipe I shared is my
jazzed-up version of Bon’s cake. Some of you, though, were anxious to get the
recipe for Bon’s original Lemon Cake.

I made the cake today. Bon
always baked it in a 9- x 13-inch pan and poured the glaze over it while it was
still warm from the oven. I decided to turn the cake into a torte, baking it in
two 9-inch pans. After tipping the cakes from the pans, I poured the lemon
glaze over them and let them cool. I put the torte together with sweetened
whipped cream and strawberries marinated in limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur,
pronounced lee-moan-chello. All the neighbors who tasted the torte gave it a
thumbs up.

So, you can make it Bon’s
way or turn it into a summer torte. Anyway you make it, it’s easy and it’s a
winner.

Lemon Torte with
Strawberries Limoncello

• 1 (18.25-ounce) package
  yellow cake mix
• 1 (3-ounce) package lemon
  jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¾ cup canola oil
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) melted
  butter
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy
  whipping cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons limoncello

 Start by making Bon’s
Original Lemon Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease and flour the bottoms of two 9-inch round baking pans.

Mix cake mix, jello, boiling water and oil together
with an electric hand mixer on medium speed. Allow to cool to lukewarm before
adding eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat at medium speed
for 2 minutes.

Divide cake batter evenly
between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Reduce
heat to 300 degrees and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden
pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow
cakes to cool in pans on wire racks for 10 to 15 minutes.

While cakes are cooling,
prepare the glaze by mixing melted butter, lemon juice and powdered sugar in
medium bowl.

Turn the cakes out onto the
wire racks. Position one cake with the bottom up and one cake with the topside
up. Place wire racks holding cakes on baking sheets. Use a fork to poke many holes in the top
of the cakes, being careful not to go all the way through the cake. Pour the
glaze over the warm cakes. Cool thoroughly.

Combine strawberries and limoncello.

When ready to serve, whip
the cream with the sugar and vanilla until very thick. Position the cake layer
with the bottom side up on a cake platter. Spread half of the whipped cream
mixture over the layer on the platter. Use a slotted spoon to place half of
strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Top with remaining torte layer.
Spread remaining whipped cream over top of torte. Spoon remaining strawberries
over whipped cream. Serve immediately. Makes one 9-inch torte.

• I use superfine caster sugar
  when sweetening whipped cream. Its fine texture allows it to dissolve quickly.
  It’s also good for stirring into iced tea and sprinkling on fresh fruit. If you
  make meringue, it’s a must-have. Many grocery stores and natural food stores
  carry it.
• Placing the beaters and the
  mixing bowl in the freezer before whipping cream will help it whip up faster,
  especially in warm summer kitchens.
• Limoncello can be found in
  some liquor stores. Store the whole bottle in the freezer. It is traditional to
  serve the bright yellow sweet liqueur after dinner to sip on. It’s very
  refreshing on a hot summer evening on the deck.