Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream Cake

When I asked my son what kind of cake he wanted for his 4th birthday he simply said Lemonade...
We are celebrating his birthday along with my dad's and my dad LOVES Lemon Meringue Pie. So I searched high and low and I think I came up with the PERFECT cake to please my little boy AND my dad!


First things First
Ice Cream
Follow instructions HERE for the Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream


Next is the cake. This is a credited to Suzanne McMinn's Lemon Curd Layer Cake
the only difference is I used 2 pans instead of 3

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar (divided)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Juice of 1/2 large orange(1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3/4 cup lemon curd**(you can purchase this but I included an EXCELLENT recipe at the very bottom)
8 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. 

Whisk  flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.












Add the 4 yolks, vegetable oil, orange juice, lemon peel, and 3/4 cup lemon curd to bowl. (Do not stir.)

Combine the 8 egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining cup of sugar until stiff but not dry.

beat flour-yolk mixture until smooth.













Fold whites into flour-yolk mixture in three additions.

Divide the batter between the pans

Bake cake 25 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean

Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes

Remove from pans, peel of parchment paper and cool completely.....VERY IMPORTANT...STICK THEM IN THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER UNTIL THEY ARE VERY COLD!!!!

Ice Cream Cake Assembly

Return cooled cakes to the cake pans, Divide softened ice cream between the two pans and spread over the cake until smooth. Place pans in the freezer and freeze thoroughly (at least 6 hours)

Frosting

Beat 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 TB sugar until stiff

Gently fold in remaining lemon curd( if you made it, about 3/4 cup if you are purchasing)**

Remove cake/Ice Cream from pans, Stack the 2 layers , gently smooth out the sides and frost quickly to prevent melting

Top with some coarsely crushed graham cracker , mini marshmallows and lemon zest

Return to the freezer and freeze at least 1-2 hours

Remove a few minutes prior to slicing and ENJOY
(this particular cake is so fluffy it slices nicely even fully frozen)

***LEMON CURD

1 Cup plus 2 TB sugar

1/2 cup FRESH lemon juice

2 eggs,beaten

2 egg yolks, beaten

6 TB butter, cut into small chunks

1 TB lemon zest

In a double boiler over simmering water(medium heat ) combine sugar and lemon juice, whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add in beaten eggs and yolks. STIR, STIR, STIR over the heat until thickened, about 15 minutes or so(dont get impatient!)

Add butter and lemon zest. Stir until the butter is melted and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin and cool. It will thicken more as it cools