Raspberry Laced Wedding Cake

Cake:
12 (1 1/2 cups) egg whites
3 1/3 cups sugar
6 1/4 cups cake flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon raspberry-flavored liqueur, if desired

Raspberry Glaze:
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons raspberry-flavored liqueur, if desired
4 drops red food color

Frosting:
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup Butter, softened
12 cups sifted powdered sugar
2/3 to 3/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
Fresh cut flowers, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites at high speed in large mixer bowl, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form (3 to 4 minutes). Continue beating, gradually adding 1 1/3 cups sugar, until stiff peaks form (1 to 2 minutes). Set aside.

Stir together remaining 2 cups sugar, cake flour, baking powder and salt in another large mixer bowl. Stir in 3 cups water and all remaining cake ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Pour batter into 8-quart bowl; gently stir in egg whites. Gradually and gently, stir in remaining 1 cup water.

Lightly spray bottoms of two (10-inch) round and two (8-inch) round professional cake pans with no stick cooking spray. Pour about 6 cups batter into each 10-inch prepared pan and about 4 cups batter into each 8-inch prepared pan. Tap pans on counter top 2 to 3 times to remove air bubbles from batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. (If necessary, rotate pans in oven for even browning.)

Wedding Cake Continued