A light vanilla sponge cake, filled with a delicious lemon infused whipped cream, topped with a ready made mini meringue kiss and fresh strawberries. If this isn’t the perfect summer bake then I don’t know what is.
To start with, make a simple batch of vanilla cupcakes. I like to make a small batch as these cakes are best eaten fresh, due to the fresh cream filling and meringue topping. I used the all-in-one method here to make things even quicker and easier. Throw all of the cake ingredients into a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until you have a nice smooth batter.
Whilst these are cooling down you can start to make the filling. The filling uses only 2 ingredients: whipping cream and fresh lemon zest. This makes it light, with a little hint of flavour. To start, place the whipping cream into a bowl and using an electric mixer, whisk together until the cream starts to thicken.
I always struggle with getting the whipped cream in that perfect spot, just before it’s over whipped. Whip it too much and too much air escapes causing it to become grainy and flat, not mixing it enough with leave it too runny. You want it to be thick and able to hold its own shape. I’m always a little over cautious and go super slow. I normally whisk on the lowest setting, checking it regularly to get the perfect spot. Once everything is mixed, lightly stir through the fresh lemon zest with a spoon until it is evenly mixed through the filling.
Lemon Meringue
Once the cakes are cooled, it’s time to assemble them. Start by cutting out a ‘well’ in the middle of the cake, as if you were making a butterfly cake. You can discard the cut out section of cake as we will no longer be needing it. Fill the inside if the cake with the whipped cream filling. I normally add a heaped teaspoon, but you can add more or less, depending on your preference, don’t worry if it flows out onto the top of the cake – this is the look we’re going for. Now, top with a mini meringue and some fresh strawberries, and you’re done!
This really is a super simple and delicious bake. It has all of the flavours of spring/summer and is the perfect bake for a special occasion.
Ingredients
- CAKE
- 2 oz / 60 g Self Raising Flour
- 2 oz / 60 g Butter
- 1 oz / 30 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ICING
- 125ml Whipping Cream
- 1 Lemon - Zested
- Strawberries, sliced into slices, for decoration
- 4 Mini Meringue Kisses, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*c/350*f/Gas Mark 4/160*c Fan Oven.
- Line a cupcake tin with cases and set aside.
- Place the margarine and sugar into a bowl and using an electric mixer beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, self-raising flour and milk to the mixture, blending until fully combined.
- Stir through the vanilla paste and spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and light and fluffy. You can tell the cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. You could also insert a skewer into the middle of one of the cakes and if it comes out clean, then the cakes are ready.
- Once ready, remove from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to sit in the tin for roughly 5 minutes, then place on a wired rack to cool. Whilst waiting, start to make the frosting.
- Place the whipping cream into a bowl and, using an electric mixer, slowly whisk until the cream can hold its own shape
- Lightly stir through the zest of 1 lemon
- Now the cakes have cooled, start to prepare the middle. using a sharp knife, cut a 'well' out of the centre of the cake, as if you were making a butterfly cake. Discard (or eat!) the dome of cake that you've just cut out as you won't be needing it anymore.
- Add a heaped teaspoon of lemon whipped cream to the centre of each cake, filling the hole that you've just made.
- Place a mini meringue and strawberry slice on top for decoration
Notes
I would always recommend eating these fresh, as close to making as possible. If left too long, then the meringue can start to turn soft.
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