Raspberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Meringue
Prep Time:
20 mins.
Cook Time:
25 mins.
Yield:
1 (9-inch) layer cake
Fresh raspberries are all the decoration needed for this simple yellow layer cake topped with light, fluffy meringue. It’s a show-stopping centerpiece for anything from elegant dinners to casual cookouts.
Ingredients
-
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups sifted Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 pints fresh raspberries
-
Vanilla Bean Meringue Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 2/3 cup water
- 6 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
- Make Cake: Sift flour before measuring, then measure the sifted flour, add the baking powder, salt and sugar, and sift again.
- Mix softened butter, flour mixture, 3/4 of the milk and the vanilla at low speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and remaining milk and beat 1 minute more.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
- Make Frosting: While cake is baking, combine 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the 2/3 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir just until the sugar begins to dissolve. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook without stirring until syrup reaches 235°F.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk egg whites on medium speed to a soft peak. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cream of tartar, vanilla bean paste and salt; continue to whisk for 1 minute more.
- Pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk the meringue. Continue to whisk for seven minutes or until the meringue frosting has cooled. Use immediately.
- Assemble Cake: When cake is cooled, place one layer on a cake board, platter or stand. Spoon some frosting on the layer and top with raspberries. (Reserve some raspberries for garnish.) Add the second layer and frost the whole cake with the remaining frosting. Brown the top of the cake using a kitchen torch and garnish with remaining raspberries. Serve immediately.
