Lemon Meringue Cake

For those of you who love lemon meringue pie and lemon cake - this is the best of both! Great for an afternoon tea and can also be made as individual cupcakes.

1. 1

   1. Heat oven to gas mark 4 / 180 c / 350 f
   
   2. Beat the butter & sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time.
   
   3. Add sifted flour and fold in.
   
   4. Stir in lemon zest, juice & colouring. Optionally, you few drops of lemon essence for extra lemon flavour if want.
   
   5. Divide the mixture between two greased and lined cake tins and place them in oven to bake for approx 20 mins until centre of cake done.
   
   If making cupcakes, put a heaped teaspoon of cake mix in each cake case spoon half a teaspoon of lemon curd on top and then cover over with cake mix. Bake in oven for approx 17 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on wire rack.
   
   If making the cake - put together the 2 cake layers with a lemon curd filling and spread lemon curd all over the top and sides of the cake also.
   
   6. The make the meringue, Set a bowl over a simmering pan of water - ensuring the bottom of bowl does not sit in the water. Add the egg whites and icing sugar to the bowl and whisk on full power for approx 5 minutes until the meringue if thick and glossy peaks able hold their shape.
   
   7. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe meringue on cake top in small peaks. For cupcakes pipe one tall peak on each cake.
   
   8. Using a blowtorch, lighty toast the surface of the meringue.
   
   9. For the cake, press the almonds or coconut onto the lemon curd covered sides.
   
   Serve. A side of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream goes well with this.