Lemon Meringue Cake

Now this, is an all time favourite! I first baked this about 10 years ago for the 'Golden Triangle Bake Off' and it won it for me. My brother always requests this for his birthday, so this year I delivered.

It's the perfect mix of a sweet cake, the sharp lemon curd and the gooey but crunchy meringue topping. This was originally a Nigella recipe, but I've adapted slightly over the many times I've baked it! The lemon curd can be swapped out for any flavour that you like really, I've done a blackberry variation before and a strawberry too, but would say that the lemon is still my favourite!

The Lemon Meringue Cake is definitely a 'rustic' style cake rather than the Instagram pristine version, but it's whats on the inside that counts. A cheats lemon meringue pie, what's not to love!

So simple to make, but I can guarantee it'll be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients; 

• 125g soft unsalted butter 
• 4 large eggs (separate these!)
• 300g caster sugar (and a little extra for the top of the meringue)
• 100g plain flour 
• 25g cornflour 
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1
• 150ml double cream 
• 150g lemon curd - you can either make this, or buy a good quality one! 
• 2tsp milk

Method; 

1. Grease and line two 21cm loose bottom cake tins & preheat the oven to 200degreesC.
2. Separate the eggs and mix the yolks with 100g caster sugar, flour, butter, cornflour, lemon zest, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together until the mixture is light in colour and starting to look airy. Then fold in the milk and 4tsp of lemon juice. 
3. Pour this mixture in to the prepared cake tins. You'll think that there's not enough mixture, but be patient and it will spread to the edges - the bicarb and the baking powder will help the mixture to rise. 
4. Add the egg whites to a bowl - or a freestanding mixer - and whisk until soft peaks are forming and then slowly whisk in the remaining 200g caster sugar. 
5. Divide this meringue mixture between the two cake tins, careful not to knock the air out of the meringue. Use the back of a spoon to level one of the tins, and form peaks on the other. 
6. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over the top of the meringues and place in the oven for around 20 minutes. A skewer should come out clean from the centre of the cake, and the meringue should be turning golden on top. 
7. Leave the cakes in the tin, and whilst waiting for them to cool, beat the double cream until thick and prepare the lemon curd if you're making it from scratch! 
8. Once completely cooled, carefully take out the cakes from their tins. 
9. Place the first cake (the one with the levelled meringue) with the meringue side down. Spread over the cream and then top with the lemon curd. 
10. Pop the second cake on top and there you go! Feel free to sprinkle some lemon zest over the top for some extra decoration. 

enjoy! x