Lemon Meringue Cloud Cake
One day, I was thinking how everyone loves a lemon meringue tart, and what if I were to transfer all those flavours and textures into the lightest of sponge cakes? It would be like eating a lemony cloud! And so this recipe was born. Please trust me when I suggest you buy a blowtorch from the local hardware store and not an expensive one from a fancy homewares shop.
FEEDS 12–14
SPONGE CAKE
6 eggs
165 g (5¾ oz/¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest OR vanilla extract
100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
60 g (2¼ oz/¼ cup) wheaten cornflour (cornstarch), sifted (see note)
1½ teaspoons baking powder, sifted
60 g (2½ oz) butter, melted
LEMON CREAM
180 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) thickened (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest OR vanilla extract
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Line the bottoms of two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tins with baking paper; grease and flour the sides.
To make the sponge, combine the eggs, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture triples in volume and is very pale and fluffy. Add the flour, cornflour and baking powder in three batches, folding very gently with a whisk and making sure no pockets of flour remain, especially at the bottom of the bowl. Add the butter, and fold carefully to combine.
Pour into the prepared tins, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. When the sponges come out of the oven, run a paring knife around the edge of the tins to release the sides. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before assembling.
Meanwhile, to make the lemon cream, combine the cream and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Chill until needed.
To assemble the cake, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place the first layer on a serving plate, and spread half the lemon curd to cover the surface. Pop the second layer on top and cover with the lemon cream. Over this, place the third layer of sponge, followed by the remaining lemon curd and then the final tier of cake.
To ‘ice’ the cake, first spread the thinnest possible layer of the meringue over the entire cake, so you have a nice white base to work with. This way, any little gaps you might leave between the piping won’t show up as little brown dots. Transfer the remaining meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round or star nozzle (large or small is up to you), then systematically pipe ‘kisses’ of meringue to cover the cake.
Now, the fun part. Using a blowtorch, torch all the tips of meringue; I love mine a bit scorched because slightly burnt meringue is the best but, if you prefer it golden and dainty instead, go ahead!