Submitted by Ashley Coates, current Christ House Volunteer.

Ashley serves as the Administrative Assistant for Christ House where she is a Jane of all trades. Ashley loves being plugged into different areas and being a part of so many life stories. Like many volunteers, the Americorps members at Christ House live in community. Sister Marcella of Christ House says “we live in community so that we do not give up”. The Emmanuel House residents have community night on Wednesdays, where they spend time doing a devotional, an activity, and eating dinner together.

“We experiment with new recipes each week, but only one of the volunteers is actually good at cooking, and for the rest of us it is a hit or miss. The following recipe is one of my hits. The finished product looks good, but it is a nerve-racking process to invert a cake without it falling on the ground!”

Sponge Cake with Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting
From Low Carb Recipes

Ingredients:
5 jumbo eggs — separated
1 dash cream of tartar
7 packets sweetener (Splenda or Stevia)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons Atkins Bake Mix
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Frosting
3 ounces cream cheese — room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter — room temperature
4 packets sweetener
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice

How to Prepare:
Preheat oven to 325f. Spray a 9″ square cake pan with butter flavor cooking spray. Beat egg whites until stiff with cream of tartar. In another bowl, beat remaining cake ingredients until smooth. Pour over beaten whites and gently fold in, being careful not to break the whites down too much. Bake in a 325f oven for approx 30 minutes or until browned all over on top and puffy. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Cake will fall in the center.

To make frosting, beat room temp butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Spread over cooled cake.