Celebrating 3 Years of Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen – Lemon Meringue Cake

Method

FOR THE CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and cardamom.
3. In a large measuring cup or mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and lemon zest.
4. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Add the boiling water and stir to incorporate. Don't worry if the batter looks quite thin, just make sure it's well mixed.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the three prepared pans.  Bake for about 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
7. If the tops of the cakes have domed, carefully even out by cutting away with a level knife.

FOR THE CURD

1. Place the juice, zest, yolks, and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Stir to combine over medium heat.
2.   Continue to stir until mixture begins to thicken, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Once thickened, remove from the heat and add in the butter.  Stir to combine.
4. Strain curd into a heat-safe container.  Discard the zest.
5. Cover curd by placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the curd.  Refrigerate until cool and thick.

FOR THE MERINGUE FROSTING

1. Place the whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Whisk to combine.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium heat.
3. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler.
4. Whisking constantly, heat the egg white mixture until the sugar dissolves and it is warm to the touch.
5. Transfer the bowl back to the mixer and whisk the egg whites on high until medium-stiff glossy peaks.
6. Add in the salt and vanilla and mix until combined.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Mix up a simple buttercream (1/2 cup unsalted soft butter, 2 cups icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp milk) and spread some in a very thin layer over the tops of the bottom two cake layers.
2. Add the rest of the butter cream to a piping bag with medium tip attached and pipe a line of buttercream along the edges of each layer (except the top layer) so that it makes a 'containment system' for the curd.
3. Spread half of the curd on one layer, and repeat with the other layer.
4. Assemble layers, spread the meringue over the sides and top of the cake, and use a kitchen torch as you like.

Note: I made the cake and curd on day one, then made the meringue and assembled the cake on the following day.