Lemon Meringue Cake

Lemon Meringue Cake

Cupcake Ranking: 3 Cupcakes

I actually made this cake this summer for an Olympic Party.  The cake was moist and citrus-ey.  The cake was truly delicious and would be perfect for a summer night.  It was had a ton of citrus in it and the cake texture reminded me of angle food cake.  The meringue not so much.  The texture of the meringue completely ruins the fluffiness of the cake. 

I can't find the picture my friend sent, but once I find it I'll post.

Ingredients

1 sifted Cup plus 2 tablespoons Cake Flour, (not self-rising)

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Salt

3 large Eggs, separated, room temperature

3/4 C Superfine sugar

1/4 C Vegetable oil

1 tsp grated Orange Zest

1 tsp grated Lemon zest

4 Tbs fresh Orange juice

2 Tbs fresh Lemon juice

Pinch of cream of tartar

*Lemon curd

**Swiss Meringue (Optional: I would recommend whipping cream topped with Lemon zest)

 

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt twice. Set aside.

 

Place egg yolks in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high until pale and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, beating until very pale and puffy, 5 to 7 minutes.

 

Add oil in a steady stream. Add zests; beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium low, and add flour mixture alternately with juices, flour in 4 parts and liquid in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Set aside.

 

In a clean bowl, whip egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and increase speed to medium high. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, and beat for 1 1/2 minutes, or until whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.

 

Stir a quarter of the whites into the flour-yolk mixture. Fold in remaining whites carefully, trying not to deflate the batter. Gently pour into an ungreased 7-inch tube pan. Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

 

Remove cake from oven, and invert immediately. Cool completely in pan. Run a knife around sides to loosen, and remove outer part of pan. Run a knife along bottom and around tube to loosen and remove tube. Turn upside down onto a cake round slightly smaller than the cake, and slice horizontally into 3 layers using a serrated knife.

 

Spread half the filling on the bottom layer, and cover with the middle layer. Spread remaining filling on middle layer, and cover with top layer. Refrigerate overnight, or until set. Brush off excess crumbs with a dry pastry brush.

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare meringue, and spread it all over cake, swirling with an icing spatula as desired. Set cake, still on cake round, on an oiled baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake, watching carefully, until meringue is brown around edges and beginning to brown elsewhere.

 

Transfer to a serving plate and serve as soon as possible. Slice using a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.

 

*Lemon Curd

3 large Egg yolks, strained

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/4 C Lemon juice

6 Tbs Sugar

4 Tbs unsalted Butter, cold, cut into pieces

 

Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.

 

Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth.

 

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; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.

 

**Swiss Meringue

4 large Egg whites, at room temperature

1 C Sugar

1 pinch Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp pure Vanilla extract

 

Fill medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and bring water to a simmer.

 

Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of electric mixer, and place over saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Test by rubbing between your fingers.

 

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use meringue immediately.

 

Rach's Tips

Beside omitting the meringue I just need to send out the warning that the cake is super delicate.  The directions state to "gently pour" the batter into the pan.  Not kidding.  It is super fluffy and will fall.  Once you put it in the pan and gently smooth, don't touch.  Step away and put it in the oven!  This is a perfect summer cake!