This is the cake of your dreams. It is everything a cake should be: tender, moist, creamy and lemony. Plus it is gorgeous. But wait. There’s more. It gets even better when made a day or two ahead.
I have spent umpteen hours testing this cake to ensure it has perfect texture and flavor, but also to make it easy enough for nonprofessional bakers to make it in stages. I wouldn’t think of making this cake all in one day. When made in stages, you won’t be overwhelmed with any of the steps.
THE CAKE
It is a pretty basic yellow cake. The directions are straightforward and if your butter and eggs are at room temperature when you begin, you should have no problems. I like to make the layers the first day, wrap them in foil and leave them on the counter overnight. But they can also be frozen. The key to the moistness of the cake is soaking each of the layers in a lemon syrup. Everyone who tastes the cake marvels at how moist it is.
THE FILLING
The filling is actually lemon curd, a thick, creamy spread that is made by cooking together lemon juice, eggs and sugar. enriched with butter. Fresh lemon juice and sugar provide the flavor, while the eggs serve to thicken up the mixture as it cooks, just as eggs thicken up a cooked custard. It is done when it is thick, shiny and glossy and leaves a heavy separation when you run your finger along it on a rubber spatula. Press the curd through a medium mesh strainer (be sure to scrape the bottom to get off every bit of it) into a bowl and cover with wax paper or plastic wrap directly on the curd, not over the top of the bowl. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Many layer cakes of this type are simply filled with lemon curd. But I prefer to lighten the curd by folding in whipped cream. Several hours before filling the cake, beat the cream and gently fold into the curd. If time permits, return it to the fridge for the filling to thicken up before frosting. This can be done one day ahead.
ITALIAN MERINGUE
Italian meringue is the most stable type of meringue as the melted hot sugar cooks the egg whites, resulting in a soft, glossy finish. It is most often used for piping on top of pastries and desserts such as baked Alaska because it holds its shape so well. You need a candy thermometer in order to make it. When the thermometer reaches 240 degrees, slowly pour the hot syrup into the beaten whites. You can control the temperature of the syrup by turning the heat up and down until your egg whites have reached firm peaks.
BROWNING THE MERINGUE
I haven’t tried baking the cake to brown the meringue, because I have such good luck with the torch. If you are going to go to all the trouble to make this cake, invest in a Creme Brulée torch. You’ll be glad you did.
Here’s a schedule to help you make the cake:
Two days or more make the cake. It can be wrapped in foil and held at room temperature overnight or frozen.
Three days before: Make the filling and lemon syrup.
Two days before: Soak the cake layers in lemon syrup and fill.. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Day before: Frost and brown the meringue. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Cook the curd until it is so thick that you can see a definite path on the spatula when you run your finger along it.
Cover with plastic wrap directly over the curd and refrigerate.
When lemon curd is cold, fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to fill cake. This can be refrigerated overnight.
It is easy to divide each cake layer in half if you mark off the cake with toothpicks as guides,
After soaking the layer in syrup,. spread the filling to within about 1/2 inch from edge of cake.
Fill the cake, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before frosting.
To make the meringue, cook the sugar syrup until it reads 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. That is the soft ball stage.
Mixing on low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup toward the edge of the bowl into the whites.
Using an offset spatula, spread the meringue over the top and sides of the cake, making swirls as you go.
To match the photo, pipe rosettes of meringue on top and sides of cake then brown with a Creme Brulée torch.
LEMON MERINGUE CELEBRATION CAKE
Sponge Cake
3 cups (360 g) cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
Lemon Syrup
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon Filling
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks (save the whites for meringue)
3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped to firm peaks
Italian Meringue Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
6 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Dash salt
MAKE THE CAKE
1. Adjust rack to lower third of oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment.
2. in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until very soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
4. On low speed, add a small amount of the dry ingredients to the batter using on-and-off bursts of the mixer. This keeps the flour from flying outside the bowl. Add 1/3 the buttermilk. 1/3 the flour, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix to blend. Spoon batter into cake pans and spread it evenly.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until tops are golden, a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean and the sides of the cake begin to pull away. Cool in pans 10 minutes, gently go around edges of cake with a small knife and then invert cake layers onto a rack, turn right side up and cool completely.
TO MAKE AHEAD:: Cake layers may be wrapped in foil and held at room temperature up to 2 days or frozen.
MAKE THE SYRUP
In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. TO MAKE AHEAD: Syrup may be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
MAKE THE LEMON FILLING
1. To make lemon curd: In a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, heat lemon juice, sugar and butter, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, briefly whisk eggs and yolks. When butter is melted, whisk some of the warm liquid into egg mixture, then stir the warmed eggs back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens enough to leave a definite pattern on a spatula when you run your finger along it. (170 degrees). Press the curd through a strainer into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate until cold.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Curd may be refrigerated up to 3 days.
Several hours before filling the cake, stir stir curd well and fold into whipped cream. Return to refrigerator to firm up.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Cake may be refrigerated covered overnight
TO ASSEMBLE
1. Cut each cake in half horizontally.
2. Arrange bottom layer on a cardboard round slightly smaller than the cake. Brush with a quarter of the syrup. It seems like a lot, but not to worry. You might use a little less on the bottom layer and go a little heavier on the top layers. Spread with 1/3 of the filling, stopping about 1/2-inch from the edges. Top with second layer, brush with syrup and spread with 1/3 filling Top with third layer, brush with syrup, spread with remaining filling and top with cake layer. Brush with remaining syrup.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Cake is best refrigerated overnight and can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
MAKE THE MERINGUE FROSTING
1. Combine water and sugar in a 1 ½ quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves, then increase heat to medium high and boil until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees.
2. While sugar is boiling, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. If whites are almost ready before the syrup, reduce mixer to low and mix slowly until the syrup reaches 240 degrees. .
3. Turn the mixer to low and while it is running, very slowly pour the hot syrup into a steady stream down the edge of the bowl onto the whites. Continue to beat on high speed until the whites are room temperature, thick and glossy like marshmallow cream, about 10 minutes. The sides of the bowl should no longer feel warm.
4. Frost sides and top with frosting using a spoon or a star tip to make swirls. Brown with a blow torch.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Cake may be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature several hours before serving. Serve at room temperature.
Makes about 14 servings.
cookingwclass, Bay Area, San Francisco, CA, United States
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