Lemon meringue cake: easy recipe to make and step by step

The lemon meringue pie (lemon meringue pie) is a wonderful cake that is a classic of British and American pastries. Find out how to do it.

If you have a sweet tooth, it is quite likely that, at some point before, you have tried this delicious and delicate cake. Popularly known by the name of Lemon Meringue Pie,  we are faced with a cake that over the years has become a true classic of not only British but also North American pastry.

Although we must go back to the Middle Ages to find the first cakes, puddings or puddings where lemon is one of the star ingredients, the lemon and meringue cake as we know it today is an elaboration that dates back to the 19th century. It seems that the oldest recipe for this cake on record was attributed to Alexander Frehse, a Swiss-born baker living in Roman die.

What is lemon meringue cake and what does it consist of?

Basically it is a cake or lemon cake with meringue, which is baked and made from a short crust that serves as a crust, and a wonderful filling made with lemon cream. In its upper part an exquisite, spongy meringue is placed, which forms a kind of harder layer when it is cooked in the oven.

It is a very easy recipe to prepare, although from the beginning it is very important to have the trick to the meringue, especially if it is the first time we prepare it.

How to make the lemon meringue cake step by step:

Ingredients for the dough:

• 185 g flour + A little more to sprinkle
• 85g butter
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1/2 egg yolk
• 1/2 tablespoon of milk
• The zest of half a lemon

Ingredients for the stuffing:

• 2 eggs
• 180 g of fine sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 300 ml of water

Preparation of the lemon and meringue cake:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the previous bowl with the flour. Work both ingredients with your fingers until you get a consistency similar to breadcrumbs. Sift the sugar and add it.
2. Beat the egg yolk and reserve half. Add this half to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and knead again a little. Wrap the dough and reserve in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
4. Meanwhile, grease a 8-inch pan with a little butter. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and line the base with it, leaving a little dough on the sides of the mold. With the help of a fork, prick the dough. Now spread greaseproof paper on top and pour in a few dried vegetables.
5. Bake the dough in the oven for 15 minutes at 180º C. After this time, take it out of the oven and, being careful not to burn yourself, remove the paper and vegetables.
6. Now is the time to prepare the filling. To do this, dissolve the cornstarch in a little water.  Put the rest of the water in a saucepan. Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the saucepan with the cornstarch paste. Stir well and bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes. Then let it warm up. Add the egg yolks and sugar and mix well again. Then pour this cream into the already cooked flour base.
7. Carefully, in a clean and somewhat cold bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff. Add the rest of the sugar and once the meringue is made, spread it on the cake.
8. To finish, bake for 40 minutes at 150º C. Once ready, remove from the oven and let it cool.

This recipe is so versatile that, if you don’t like meringue or want to even make it a little easier and faster, you can simply make the short crust pastry and the lemon filling, skipping the final step of the meringue.

In this way you will also have a delicious and exquisite lemon cake, fresh, homemade and even easier to prepare.