Grapefruit Meringue Cake

A typically American frosted cake with twists - grapefruit is present in all layers and the filling is topping the cake under the meringue.

No recipe Image

Have you prepared this dish and taken a picture?

Publish own foto

print save Save to... share with friends upload images

Ingredients

	For the cake:
1 ¹/₂ large	grapefruit
55 g	unsalted butter
110 g	caster sugar
2 large	eggs, yolks only - reserve whites for meringue topping
1 large	egg
110 g	plain flour
1 tsp	baking powder
1 tsp	grapefruit zest (from above grapefruit)
60 ml	milk
2 tbsp	fresh grapefruit juice
¹/₂ tsp	vanilla extract
	For the Filling:
2 large	eggs, yolks only - reserve whites for meringue topping
240 ml	water
170 g	caster sugar
75 g	plain flour
1 tsp	grapefruit zest (from above grapefruit)
80 ml	fresh grapefruit juice
15 g	unsalted butter
	For the topping:
4 large	eggs, whites only - use whites reserved previously
¹/₂ tsp	cream of tartar
110 g	caster sugar
1 tsp	grapefruit zest (from above grapefruit)
1 sprig(s)	fresh mint, optional

Method

Preparation time: ca. 1 hr / Grade of difficulty: tricky / Calories per portion: n/a

Grease and flour a 9 inch, 22-23cm round cake tin. Preheat oven to gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F.

Zest a whole grapefruit. Cut the grapefruit and extract juice. Cut a second grapefruit in half and extract the segments from that half. Add any juice from these segments to the extracted juice. Keep these elements separate and reserved until required.

To make the cake:
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and whole egg and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and zest and add some at a time alternating with milk and juice, ending with flour mixture whilst beating periodically. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 28-30 minutes or until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in tin for about 10 minutes. Remove from tin to cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare the filling:
Combine egg yolks with water in a clean bowl. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and flour, add yolk mixture and zest. Cook over a medium heat whilst stirring until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat and stir in the juice and butter. Cover loosely and allow to cool.

Place cooled cake on a baking sheet and spoon filling evenly over top of cake to within about ½ inch, 12-13mm of the edge.

To make the topping:
Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with cream of tartar for one minute on high speed with food mixer. Gradually add the sugar and grapefruit zest, beating until stiff peaks form, probably 3 minutes. Spread topping over the filling, and cover edges of cake. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks and swirls over entire surface.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the meringue peaks are lightly browned. Cool completely.

Immediately prior to serving, decorate the centre of the cake with the drained grapefruit segments and a sprig of fresh mint if wished. Cut into wedges to serve.

I have used American servings as originally quoted but they tend to be very generously sized. I think 10-12 is rather more realistic for European consumers. This is a light dessert cake rather than one to be eaten with a cup of tea or coffee.