LEMON MERINGUE CAKE
I’ve never been a fan of a traditional lemon layer cake with its mouth-puckering lemon filling and cloying seven-minute frosting; the combination somehow tastes simultaneously too tart and too sweet. But I do love cake and lemon and meringue, so I decided to come up with my own version, one with a lighter lemon flavor and a pretty toasted top. I soaked the cake layers in a lemon syrup for subtle tang, filled the middle with lemon buttercream, and then covered the cake in piles of meringue curls and swirls for an elegant dessert with delicate flavor. makes 8 to 12 servings
1 recipe Yellow Cake , made in two layers, still warm
⅓ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
LEMON BUTTERCREAM FILLING
½ pound (2 sticks, 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
2 cups (226 g) confectioners’ sugar
MERINGUE
5 large egg whites
1 cup (198 g) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and boil gently over medium-high heat until a light syrup forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Brush the warm syrup over the warm cakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and then let them cool completely before icing.
FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM FILLING: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium until creamy. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix on low until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, then increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Cut each cooled cake layer in half horizontally, to make a total of four layers. Put one layer cut side up on a turntable or serving plate and top with ½ cup of the lemon buttercream. Use an offset spatula or knife to smooth it out. Repeat with two more layers and then top with the final layer, cut side down. Set aside.
FOR THE MERINGUE: Put about an inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the egg whites, sugar, and salt to combine. Put the bowl over the saucepan, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until the sugar is completely melted and reaches a temperature of 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes. While you are stirring, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula—this will ensure no sugar grains are lurking on the sides and will help prevent the egg whites from cooking.
Remove the bowl from the heat and place it in the stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whisk on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. The bowl should have cooled down to room temperature at this point. Add the vanilla and beat on low until combined.
TO FINISH THE CAKE: You won’t be able to do a crumb coat with the meringue because it sets very quickly. Working fast, use a spatula to spread the meringue over the sides and top of the cake in a thick layer. I stick my offset spatula right into the meringue to get a big clump of it and then place it on the cake, gently rocking my spatula back and forth, trying not to pick up any crumbs. Once the cake is covered, you can even out the meringue and either smooth its sides and make decorative curls on the top or make curls over the entire body of the cake. Use a spoon to create curls in the meringue. Hold a kitchen blowtorch 1 to 2 inches away from the cake and touch the flame down in between the curls. The curls will toast and brown (if the curls set on fire, you can blow them out). Do this until you are happy with the color of the cake.
If you do not have a torch, you can brown the meringue under a broiler, using a heatproof plate to hold the cake (a cake stand will not work here). Adjust your oven rack so the cake will be a few inches below the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Place the cake under the broiler for 45 to 60 seconds, until the tips of the meringue curls turn brown. Keep a close eye on the cake! The meringue can burn easily.
NOTE: For a cake with a very light lemon flavor, skip brushing the cake layers with the lemon syrup.