Lemon Meringue Sponge

Yes I hear you, sponge you ask?? Why sponge? Why not pie?? Well, because I didn't have time to make a pie crust but also because pie isn't as celebratory as cake! And for some occasions you just need cake! 

This all started when I saw this delicacy in Dunnes Stores. For years I yearned to try Marshmallow Fluff, which I had read about and salivated over on countless blogs. But last weekend, I saw that Goodall's have brought out their new Marshmallow Crème- essentially the same thing! I was so excited that I wanted to use it straight away, and since I didn't have time to trawl through the web I came up with this lemon meringue cake. 

I used Chivers Lemon Curd (which tastes delicious on bread, scones, pie, anything you can imagine!) so sweet yet tangy and a great consistency too. That brings me back to the fluff- pardon, crème- it was very hard to spread to use as a cake topping/filling. Very thick and fluffy and as it had to stand for a couple of hours before consumption outside of a fridge it began to melt slightly and became runny rather than fluffily delicious. Don't get me wrong it was still good but learn from my mistake- decorate just before serving. 



















I used Mary Berry's Baking Bible Victoria Sponge recipe which is nothing extraordinary  honestly I would have preferred a more moist cake- the hunt continues for such a recipe! Anyhow, here is the one I used. I hope you like it as much as I did!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
8oz margarine
8oz caster sugar
8oz self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder  (don't question the double raising agents, they work really well together) 

1. Pre-heat oven to 180degrees Celcius.
2. Grease sides of two 8inch cake tins and line the bottom with circles of baking parchment.
3. Mix all ingredients together with an electric mix.
4. Pour into prepared tins.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until springy to touch/a skewer comes out clean.

To decorate:

1. Once cooled, spread a layer of lemon curd on one layer.
2. Spread a thin layer of marshmallow crème on the other (be gentle whilst doing this as the consistency can be quite rough and may tear the cake.
3. Sandwich together.
4. Frost the top of the cake with marshmallow crème. 
5. As it was an engagement party I decorated this with Haribo hearts and rings, they looked fab but you could use any other gummies to garnish. I think sprinkles/Smarties/M&Ms or other sweets with a food colouring outer may run once they hit the marshmallow fluff so try to avoid these.

Stay sweet! x