Lemon and strawberry meringue cake

Ingredients

For the cake base

• 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• Grated zest and juice 1 lemon
• 230g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the lemon curd and filling

•  3 medium free-range egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
• 100g caster sugar
• Juice 2 lemons

75g butter, cut into cubes

• 300ml double/whipping cream
• 300g strawberries, hulled and sliced (halve 6, unhulled, for the top)

For the meringue crown

• Oil to grease
• 3 medium free-range egg whites
• 165g caster sugar
• Pink or red food colouring
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry pieces

You’ll also need

• 3 x 18cm springform cake tins, lined with baking paper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then gently mix in the flour, salt and baking powder. Divide the mix among the tins and level the tops. Bake for 20 minutes until a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. Transfer the tins to a rack to cool completely, then remove the cakes from the tins. Reduce the oven to 120°C fan/gas 1