I’m going to try this for Edward’s birthday lunch. Possibly it’ll flatten us all, but hey ho…
125g v soft unsalted butter
4 eggs separated
30g plus 1 teaspoon caster sugar
100g plain flour
25g cornflour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarb of soda
zest of 1 lemon
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
150ml double or whipping cream
150g lemon curd
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Line and butter two 21cm sandwich tins.
Mix the egg yolks, 100g sugar, butter, flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarb and lemon zest in a processor. Add the lemon juice and milk and whizz again.
Divide the mixture between the prepared tins – spread until smooth.
Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form then slowly whisk in 200g of sugar. Divide the mixture between the two tins, spreading the meringue mixture straight on top of the cake batter. Smooth one flat with a metal spatula and peak the other one using the back of a spoon. Sprinkly one teaspoon of sugar over the peaks. Put into the oven for 20-25 minutes.
With a cake tester, pierce the cake that has the flat meringue topping to check it’s cooked all the way through. Remove both cakes to a wire rack and let cool completely in the tins.
Unmould the flat-topped cake onto a cake plate, meringue side down. Whisk the double cream until thick but not stiff then set aside. Spread the flat sponge surface of the first cake with the lemon curd, then spatula over the cream and top with the remaining cake.
