Lemon meringue pie cake

I loved lemon meringue pie as a child, even though my mum used the packet mix for the lemon part - but that didn't bother me, and it still wouldn't today. This comes from the woman who loves Bird's custard and Paxo stuffing. Some things are just meant to be. 

I digress. For the November meeting of the Stamford Clandestine Cake Club, caker Louise (who admitted she doesn't actually like cake - the horror!) made a delicious lemon meringue cake. Here I share her recipe as it was absolutely fabulous. 

3 unwaxed lemons
200g softened butter
200g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
250g self-raising flour sifted
6 tbsp milk

For the meringue

2 egg whites

100g caster sugar

For the filling

250g tub mascarpone

2 tbsp sifted icing sugar 

Half a 450g jar of lemon curd

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 21⁄2. Line the bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich cake tins (about 5cm deep) with nonstick paper. Grate the zest from the lemons and put in a bowl with the other cake ingredients. Beat together with an electric hand whisk for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Spoon into the tins and level the tops.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the sugar until the meringue is stiff. Spoon half the meringue over each cake and spread to within 2cm of the edges. Swirl the meringue with the tip of a knife.

Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes until the meringue is crisp and golden and the cake is firm. Test by inserting a fine skewer through the meringue – if just a few crumbs stick to the skewer, the cake is ready.

Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then invert each cake on to a folded tea towel and then invert again on to a wire rack so the meringue is uppermost. (Alternatively, for loose-bottom tins, sit the tin on top of a can and gently push down the collar to free the cake.) Leave to cool completely. The cakes will keep for up to 2 days in a tin at this stage.

Beat together the mascarpone and sugar. Put spoonfuls of lemon curd over the mascarpone and swirl gently together. Set one cake on a serving plate and spread with the filling. Top with the other cake and dust lightly with icing sugar.