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Get ready for one delicious treat! Sweet and tangy, this layered lemon meringue cake is filled with homemade lemon curd and topped with fluffy meringue for a tasty showstopper.
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Pin ItEasy Lemon Meringue Cake Recipe
Lemon meringue is one of my favorite pies; I just love that balance of sweet and fluffy meringue with the tart and tangy taste from the lemons. So, I thought it would be fun to transform the classic flavors I love into a cake. I ended up with layers of fresh tart lemon curd sandwiched between lemon cake, all covered in a thick layer of light and fluffy meringue. It doesn’t get any better than this!
This cake is great to serve over Easter, and for any occasion throughout the year. It’s fresh, delicious, a real crowd-pleaser.
Tips for Beginners
- Let the cake fully cool. Before slicing or assembling, the cake needs to be completely cool.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will help them combine easily, and you will have an even texture throughout the cake.
- Shortcut lemon curd. Take a shortcut and use store-bought lemon curd for the filling. However, it’s pretty quick to make your own, and it’s so much more flavorful.
- To brown the meringue. You can brown the meringue either with a cook’s torch or under the broiler. I prefer the look with a torch if you have one, where some parts stay white, and others get toasty. A broiler is the simplest way if you don’t have a torch.
- A stand mixer is best. It’s much quicker and easier to use a stand mixer, and it ensures that you get an even texture and the meringue is just so. You can use a hand whisk, but ensure that the ingredients are really well combined. It will take a little longer to make this way, but it’s a good workout for your arms!
- Make your own buttermilk. If you don’t have any on hand, pour ½ cup milk into a measuring cup and add 1½ tsp lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes.
Lemon Meringue Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180g
- 1½ tsp baking powder 6g
- 1 tbsp lemon zest 6g, from 1 lemon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup European style unsalted butter 113g, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 2 large eggs 100g, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 4g
- 2 tbsp lemon juice 28g, about ½ lemon
- ½ cup buttermilk 114g, room temperature
For the Lemon Curd
- ½ cup European style unsalted butter 113g (1 stick)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice 114g, from 4 lemons
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- 8 egg yolks 112g
For the Meringue
- 8 egg whites 280g (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter. Add a piece of parchment paper lengthwise to help with removing the cake after baking.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, zest, and salt.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp lemon zest, ½ tsp kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.½ cup European style unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on a low speed. Turn the speed up to medium-high and add in the vanilla and lemon juice.2 large eggs, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Put the mixer back on low and add about ½ of the flour mixture. Then half the buttermilk. Repeat until all of the flour and buttermilk are incorporated.½ cup buttermilk
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool while making your lemon curd and meringue.
- Prepare the lemon curd. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and lemon juice over high heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and yolks.½ cup European style unsalted butter, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 8 egg yolks
- Slowly whisk together the hot lemon mixture into the egg mixture, a little at a time. Place the mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Allow to thicken for 6-8 minutes.
- Pour the lemon curd into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to cover the entire top. Chill for 1 hour or until the cake has cooked and cooled.
- Prepare the meringue: Using a hand mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is warm and the sugar has fully dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.8 egg whites, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Place the meringue mixture in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until light and fluffy, usually about 2 additional minutes.
- Assemble the cake: Slice the baked and cooled cake into 3 horizontal layers. Trim the sides and top to make 3 even layers.
- Place the bottom of the cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with a layer of the lemon curd. Repeat with the second layer of cake and curd. Top finally with the top layer of cake.
- Using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, cover the entire outside of the cake in meringue. Make peaks or swirls as you go to make it extra pretty.
- Broil in the oven or use a small hand held kitchen torch to brown the meringue until golden brown. In the oven this would be just about 1 minute, watching carefully. You can also broil just slightly and then further toast the peaks.
- Slice and serve!
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Stand Mixer
- Hand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Kitchen Torch (optional)
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Lemon Meringue Cake Step by Step
Get the oven going, prepare a loaf pan, and combine the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter. Add a piece of parchment paper to the loaf pan, lengthwise, so you can remove the cake easily after baking. Combine 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and ½ tsp kosher salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream ½ cup European-style unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until they become light and fluffy.
Add liquid ingredients: Add 2 eggs, one at a time, mixing on a low speed. Turn the speed up to medium-high and add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tbsp lemon juice.
Add the remaining ingredients: Turn the mixer back to low and add about ½ of the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk, and repeat until all of the flour and buttermilk are incorporated.
Transfer the batter and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for around 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely while you make the lemon curd and meringue.
Prepare the lemon curd: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt ½ cup European-style unsalted butter and then add ½ cup fresh lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk ¾ cup granulated sugar with 8 egg yolks.
Slowly whisk the hot lemon mixture into the egg mixture, a little bit at a time. Place the mixture into the saucepan, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps. Allow to thicken for 6-8 minutes.
Pour the lemon curd into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to cover the entire top. Chill for 1 hour or until the cake has baked and completely cooled.
Prepare the meringue: Using a hand mixer, whisk 8 egg whites with 1 cup sugar in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is warm and the sugar has completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
Place the meringue mixture in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 minutes.
Assemble the cake: Slice the baked and cooled cake into 3 horizontal layers. Trim the sides and top to make 3 even-sized layers.
Place the bottom of the cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with a layer of the lemon curd. Repeat with the second layer of cake and curd. Finally, top with the top layer of cake.
Use a rubber spatula or offset spatula to cover the entire outside of the cake in meringue. Make peaks or swirls as you go to make it extra pretty.
Broil in the oven or use a small handheld kitchen torch to brown the meringue. In the oven, this would take about 1 minute, watching carefully. You can also broil just slightly and then further toast the peaks.
Serve: Slice and serve!
How to Store
This cake is best served on the day it’s made so that the meringue is at it’s best.
You can make the cake and lemon curd the day before, keep covered, and then make the meringue and assemble the cake the next day. This also means that the cake will be fully cooled when you are ready to build it.
If you do have leftovers they will keep well, covered in the fridge for around 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
This lemon meringue cake is ideal for serving after Easter dinner. For our dinner feast, I like to make this all-in-one sheet pan Easter dinner with ham, a side of Hawaiian rolls to soak up all the goodness on our plates, and I always have deviled eggs as an appetizer.
More Lemon Recipes To Try
- Lemon Pasta pairs lemon and garlic butter sauce with mounds of fresh spaghetti for a simple meal that’s ready in 20 minutes.
- Gluten Free Lemon Bars feature a buttery gluten-free shortbread crust topped with a smooth, tangy lemon filling.
- Glazed Lemon Cranberry Bread is a citrusy loaf loaded with fresh cranberries and topped with a sweet, tangy lemon glaze.
This was a lot of work, but it was fun and interesting. I couldnt get the sides to color under the broiler but enjoyed it just the same. Certainty has the wow factor. Quite a rich dessert
Lots of left over meringue (made a Pavlova with the left overs!
Thanks for sharing, Jill!
Cant wait to try this, but what is your recommendation for the best buttermilk substitution?
For each cup of buttermilk, you can substitute regular milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice!