Name: Lemon Meringue Cake
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup cup unsalted butter ((1 stick), cut into 8 tablespoons); 3/4 cup cup sugar; 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice; 6 large egg yolks; finely grated zest of 1 lemon; softened butter and all-purpose flour, for the pans; 3 cups cake flour ((not self-rising))

When winter has dug in its heels, it is time to enjoy citrus desserts. My family had a lemon tree in our backyard in California, so I didn’t buy a lemon until I moved to New York. Now I get Florida lemons at the supermarket, although every lemon dessert I make comes with extra nostalgia on top. Here is a cake I recently developed for a big dinner party—to say it was a hit would be a gross understatement.

Lemon Meringue Cake

This cake is NOT fast and easy, but if you are an experienced baker, it will not hold any surprises. In fact, you will be rewarded with a great all-purpose yellow cake recipe and one of the simplest and best lemon curds in my collection. (I give lots of tips on how to keep the curd from curdling...no pun intended.) And if you are a novice, make the components ahead of time and put it all together on the day of serving. In fact, I recommend that tack because the lemon curd needs time to chill and set up. I like to make the curd, cake, and syrup the day before, and assemble and “meringue-ize” the layers the morning of serving.

Course

Desserts

Servings

10 servings

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

1/2 cup cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 tablespoons
3/4 cup cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 large egg yolks
finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Cake

softened butter and all-purpose flour, for the pans
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)