This classic recipe is highly popular during festive seasons with its refreshing and tangy lemon flavour. This cake is beautifully layered with lemon curd made from scratch and topped with a golden Swiss meringue baked frosting. Baking this cake will surely bring bliss and joy to the Christmas celebration!
Be sure to get the texture of your lemon meringue cake just right by using quality eggs. We use QL Deli Fresh eggs which can be found in good supermarkets across Malaysia. QL Deli Fresh has up to 40% less cholesterol than ordinary eggs, making them the best choice for the healthy minded.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes: 7 inch cake
Ingredients
For cake batter: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 140 g | cake flour, sifted | |
| 1 ½ tsp | baking powder | |
| ¼ tsp | salt | |
| 4 | QL Deli Fresh egg yolks | |
| 100 g | fine sugar | |
| 1 tsp | orange zest, grated | |
| 1 tsp | lemon zest, grated | |
| 75 ml | fresh orange juice | |
| 30 ml | fresh lemon juice | |
| 100 ml | vegetable oil | |
| 4 | QL Deli Fresh egg whites | |
| 50 g | fine sugar | |
| ⅛ tsp | ceam of tartar | |
For lemon curd filling: | ||
| 4 | QL Deli Fresh egg yolks | |
| ½ | lemon zest | |
| 60 ml | lemon juice | |
| 90 g | sugar | |
| 60 g | unsalted butter | |
For Swiss meringue: | ||
| 5 | QL Deli Fresh egg yolks | |
| 200 g | sugar | |
| ⅛ tsp | cream of tartar | |
| ½ tsp | vanilla essence | |
Method
- For cake batter and assembly, preheat oven to 160 degree C. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat QL Deli Fresh egg yolks with sugar until thick and pale. Add zests then add juices alternately with flour mixture. Add in vegetable oil in a steady stream and mix well. Set aside.
- In a clean bowl, whip together QL Deli Fresh egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Fold in a quarter of whites into the flour-yolk mixture. Fold in remaining whites carefully, trying not to deflate the batter. Gently pour into a 7-inch round cake tin lined with parchment paper. Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven, and invert immediately. Let cool in the pan. Turn upside down onto a cake board and slice horizontally into 3 layers using a serrated knife. Spread half the lemon curd filling on the bottom layer, and cover with the middle layer. Spread remaining filling on middle layer, and cover with top layer. Refrigerate overnight, or until set.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Prepare meringue, spread and swirl it all over cake with an icing spatula. Bake until meringue is brown around edges, for about 5minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
- For lemon curd filling, combine QL Deli Fresh yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Set over medium heat, and stir and whisk constantly with a hand whisk, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon. Let cool for at least an hour before using.
- For Swiss meringue, set the saucepan over low heat. Combine QL Deli Fresh egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Place in a saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to cook the egg whites. Quickly transfer mixture into a bowl and by using electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on high speed until glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.
QL Omega & QL Deli Fresh eggs are available at major hypermarkets and supermarkets. For more information on QL Eggs, click here.
