Vanilla Meringue Cake with Cinnamon-Sugared Almonds

Preparation: 40 minutes 

Cooking: 30 minutes 

Serves: 10-12 

Ingredients  

• 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 125g caster sugar 
• 4 organic or free-range egg yolks 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• ¼ cup (60ml) milk 
• 1-2 x 150g punnets raspberries 
• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour 

Meringue  

• 4 egg whites 
• 180g caster sugar 
• 90g flaked almonds 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 Tbsp caster sugar, extra 

Cream Filling  

• 200ml thickened cream 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Up to 1 Tbsp amaretto 

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter 2 x 24cm springform cake tins and line bases with baking paper. Dust tins with flour and set aside.
2. Put butter and sugar into an electric mixer and beat on medium for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla and milk – the mixture may look curdled but it will be fine. Finally, mix in flour just until combined.
3. Divide batter equally between tins, then spread out evenly into a shallow layer. The batter is quite stiff, but be patient, and it will work. Set tins aside.
4. To make meringue, thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl and beaters. Add egg whites to bowl and beat on medium until softly fluffy. Add sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until the meringue is thick and glossy – this takes about 8-10 minutes.
5. Divide the meringue evenly between cake tins and use a palette knife to spread over the cake batter as smoothly as you can. Scatter flaked almonds over each meringue layer, then quickly mix cinnamon and extra sugar and sprinkle over top. Bake cakes for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown.
6. Remove cakes to wire racks and leave to cool in tins for 8 minutes. Release and remove the sides of the tins. Lay a sheet of baking paper over the top of one cake, carefully invert it onto a flat plate, remove the base and paper, and then invert the cake again onto a cooling rack so it is meringue-side up. Repeat with the second cake. Leave to cool completely.
7. Close to serving time, make the cream filling. Whip cream and vanilla together until thick and fluffy. Then dribble in amaretto, whisking as you go. Set one cake layer, meringue-side up, on a cake stand. Spread vanilla cream evenly on top. Dot with raspberries. Sit the remaining cake on top, meringue-side up. If the weather is cool, the cake will hold well like this for a couple of hours. It is best eaten on the day it is made.

Recipe by Belinda Jeffery featuring on Market Magazine (Book Excerpt)