Lemon Meringue Cake

• 450g butter 
• 450g self raising flour 
• 450g caster sugar 
• 9 eggs 
• Zest of two lemons
• Juice of one lemon 

• 250g butter 
• 400g icing sugar
• 1 tsp milk (optional)
• 2tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius, and grease three 18cm cake tins. 
2. First cream together the sugar and the softened butter until fully combined and of a creamy consistency. 
3. Next add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition to prevent the mixture from curdling. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir. 
4. Once all the eggs are combined sift the flour into the mixture, and slowly fold in a figure of eight until all the ingredients are fully combined. 
5. Place the cake mixture into the pre-prepared cake tins and place into the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and springy to the touch. 
6. Leave on a wire rack until cooled completely. 

Meringue kisses: 

1. Preheat the oven to 110 degrees Celsius and grease two large baking trays. 
2. For the meringue, place the egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk until stiff peaks form. Then add the caster sugar a table spoon at a time until the meringue is glossy and smooth.
3. Place a plain nozzle within a piping bag.Using a spatula place a small amount of food colouring around the edge of the piping bag in stripes. 
4. Carefully place the meringue into the piping bag and pipe 1.5cm round 'kisses' or 'blobs', lifting the piping bag upwards to create a 'flick'. 
5. Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the meringues easily pull away from the baking paper. 

Buttercream: 

1. Place the softened butter and icing sugar into a bowl and mix until fully combined and no lumps of butter remain. 
2. Add the lemon juice a little at a time and stir thoroughly between each addition, taking care not to add too much. 
3. Once completely combined and smooth place the buttercream into a piping bag with a flat nozzle attached. 
4. Once the cakes are cooled place a small amount of butter cream between each layer and level off. 
5. Place a small blob of buttercream on the base of the cake stand to keep the cake in place. 
6. Next place a large blob of buttercream onto the top of the cake and level with a metal spatula. 
7. Now pipe the buttercream around the edge of the cake, coving the whole surface. Place your spatula at a 90 degree angle and drag it around the outside of the cake to smooth over the buttercream until a thin layer remains. This is called 'crumbing'. 
8. Leave this initial layer to set or harden, then repeat this process once more with a thicker layer of buttercream. 
9. You may have an overhang of buttercream on the sides of the cake, to smooth this over drag the buttercream from the outside into the centre of the top of the cake. 
10. Finally, place meringues on top of the cake and place sliced lemon around the bottom edge of the cake. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and will give my Lemon Meringue cake a go, its sure to be a show stopper at any event!