finger-lickin-recipes:

Lemon Curd Meringue Cake

For the cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, soften
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup home-made lemon curd

For the meringue frosting:
2 cups sugar
6 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 3 9-inch cake pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk sour cream, lemon zest, juice and vanilla.

Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed in a bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.

Reduce the speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining sour cream mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pans and spread evenly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for about 10 minutes before inverting on rack. Let cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a greased baking sheet. Spread with 1/4 cup lemon curd. Place another cake layer on top, and gently press down a little bit. Spread with the remaining lemon curd. Place the last layer of cake on top. Refrigerate until you are ready to frost and serve, preferably on the same day.

To prepare frosting, in a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar and egg whites. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy for 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting form stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and water, and beat for another 2 minutes until frosting thickens.

Preheat oven to 400F. Smear the meringue frosting thickly on the top and sides of the cake. Using a small metal spatula to create swoops and peaks.

Place cake in oven. Bake, watching carefully, until meringue is brown around edges and beginning to brown elsewhere. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate.

Leave it at room temperature and serve the cake in the same day, as over time the frosting will become grainy.