Lemon Meringue Cake Recipe
Get ready for one delicious treat! Sweet and tangy, this layered lemon meringue cake is filled with lemon curd and topped with meringue for a real tasty showstopper!
Servings: 8 slices
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Stand Mixer
- Hand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Kitchen Torch (Click for my favorite) (optional)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder 6 grams
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest 6 grams, from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup European Style Unsalted Butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 28 grams, about ½ lemon
- ½ cup buttermilk 114 grams, room temperature (see note)
For the Lemon Curd
- ½ cup European Style Unsalted Butter 113 grams (1 stick)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice 114 grams, from 4 lemons
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 8 egg yolks 112 grams
For the Meringue
- 8 egg whites 280 grams (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350·F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter. Add a piece of parchment paper lengthwise to help with removing the cake after baking.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, zest, and salt.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.½ cup European Style Unsalted Butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on a low speed. Turn the speed up to medium-high and add in the vanilla and lemon juice.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Put the mixer back on low and add about ½ of the flour mixture. Then half the buttermilk. Repeat until all of the flour and buttermilk are incorporated.½ cup buttermilk
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool while making your lemon curd and meringue.
- Prepare the lemon curd. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and lemon juice over high heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and yolks.½ cup European Style Unsalted Butter, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 8 egg yolks
- Slowly whisk together the hot lemon mixture into the egg mixture, a little at a time. Place the mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Allow to thicken for 6-8 minutes.
- Pour the lemon curd into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to cover the entire top. Chill for 1 hour or until the cake has cooked and cooled.
- Prepare the meringue: Using a hand mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is warm and the sugar has fully dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.8 egg whites, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Place the meringue mixture in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until light and fluffy, usually about 2 additional minutes.
- Assemble the cake: Slice the baked and cooled cake into 3 horizontal layers. Trim the sides and top to make 3 even layers.
- Place the bottom of the cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with a layer of the lemon curd. Repeat with the second layer of cake and curd. Top finally with the top layer of cake.
- Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, cover the entire outside of the cake in meringue. Make peaks or swirls as you go to make it extra pretty.
- Broil in the oven or use a small hand held kitchen torch to brown the meringue until golden brown. In the oven this would be just about 1 minute, watching carefully. You can also broil just slightly and then further toast the peaks.
- Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
- Allow the cake to fully cool before slicing and assembling.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will help them to combine easily and you will have an even texture throughout the cake.
- If you are looking for a shortcut, you can use store-bought lemon curd for the filling, but it's pretty quick to make your own and it's so much more flavorful.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 298mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 1054IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg