Cake Recipes
Indian River Grapefruit Meringue Cake
A stunning presentation as well as a light and delicious dessert with fabulous grapefruit flavor in each of its three layers.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 large fresh Florida grapefruit
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks (reserve whites at room temperature)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon grated grapefruit zest
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh Florida grapefruit juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 2 eggs, separated (add whites to reserved whites in bowl)
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon grated grapefruit zest
- 1/3 cup fresh Florida grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
Topping
- Reserved egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar combined with 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cake
- Grate rind of one grapefruit to measure 1 tablespoon zest. Squeeze same grapefruit to yield 1/2 cup unstrained juice. Cut half grapefruit into segments. Reserve all separately.
- In a large bowl, cream butter on medium speed on mixer, gradually beating in sugar until fluffy. Add 2 egg yolks and whole egg; beat well.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and zest, and add alternately with milk and juice to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition; stir in vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 28 to 30 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center tests clean.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool completely.
Filling
- Combine egg yolks and water.
- In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and flour; add yolk mixture and zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat; stir in juice and butter. Cover loosely and cool.
- Place cooled cake on baking sheet. Spoon filling evenly on cake to within 1/2 inch of edges.
Topping
- Beat the four egg whites (at room temperature) with cream of tartar for 1 minute on high speed. Gradually add sugar/grapefruit zest mixture, beating until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Spread topping over cake filling, covering completely. Using back of tablespoon, form decorative swirls from center to edges.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes until peaks are lightly browned.
- Cool completely.
- Just before serving, decorate center top with reserved, well-drained grapefruit segments and if desired a sprig of fresh mint.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Florida Department of Citrus