Citrus cake - lemon and orange cake with lemon meringue frosting
Lemon and orange cake with covered with lemon meringue frosting and filled with a tangy citrus curd
Equipment
- electric whisk
- heat proof bowl
- pan
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 220 grams unsalted butter softened
- 220 grams caster sugar
- 4 eggs room temp
- 220 grams plain flour
- 2 tea spoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- zest of two lemons
- zest of one orange
- juice of 1 medium lemon
- juice of half an orange
- 30 grams candied citrus peel
- 3 tbsp milk
Meringue frosting
- 300 grams caster sugar
- 4 egg whites
- juice of one small lemon approx 1/4 cup
citrus curd
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- zest and juice from 2 lemons
- zest and juice from 2 oranges
- 4 tbsp butter
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160c fan
- Grease and line three 7 or 8 inch layer cake tins with baking paper (this will make three thin layers)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy,
- Scrape around the bowl with a spatula and add the first egg and whip for about 3 minutes, then scrape the bowl and add the next egg. whip again for 3 minutes, then scrape the bowl and add the next egg. continue this process with the last two eggs
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in by hand with a spatula.
- Now fold in the zests, peel and juice, Add a tbsp of milk at a time to loosen the batter.
- Pour evenly amongst the tins and level out.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tins for 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the tins and peel off the paper and place on a cooling rack until cool.
For the curd
- Make ahead of time so it can chill.
- Add the juice, zest, yolks and sugar in a sauce pan and whisk together over a medium heat. mixing constantly.
- Once it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon remove from the heat.
- Stir in the butter and pour into a jar or bowl and let cool
- place in the fridge to firm up
Meringue frosting
- Add some water in a pan and turn on the heat
- Take a mixing bowl large enough to fit on top of the pan, but not touch the water. Ensure the bowl spotlessly clean. i used a large stainless steel one, or you can use the metal bowl from mixer with a small pan.
- Add the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and using a hand held electric mixer, beat at high speed over the heat until peaks form, remove from heat and continue whipping until stiff peaks form and it looks like a fluffy but firm meringue.
Assembly
- Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and add a tin layer of meringue, pipe a barrier around the edge to stop the curd from dripping out. place a thin layer of curd in the middle.
- Note; the weight can cause the curd to spill out so just add a thin layer (of chilled curd)
- Continue this for the next layer and top with the third layer
- Add some meringue on top and spread out then spread more around the sides.
- Add the remaining meringue in a piping bag and pipe on some small tree shapes around the edge. torch with a blow torch or keep white.
- Then add the tree, thyme and candied citrus (see instructions on post)