>From the Cooking.com website...
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Key Lime Meringue Cake Recipe
Source: © EatingWell Magazine
12 servings
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For Cake:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature (see Cake-Baking Tips)
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest, preferably Key lime (see Ingredient notes)
3 tablespoons almond oil or canola oil
For Lime filling:
1 14-ounce can nonfat sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1/3 cup lime juice, preferably Key lime
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest, preferably Key lime
For Meringue:
2 large egg whites, at room temperature, or equivalent dried egg whites,
reconstituted according to package directions (see Ingredient notes)
1/4 cup sugar
Ingredient Note:
Key limes are more fragrant, acidic and juicy than the common Persian lime
found in U.S. markets. Look for the small, round limes with yellow-green skin
in the specialty-produce section of supermarkets or Latin food markets.
Dried egg whites are pasteurized—a wise choice when making an uncooked
meringue. They are also convenient when you have no use for leftover yolks.
You'll find them in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets.
Cake-Baking Tips
When using cake pans, they must be greased and floured to create a thin layer
of protection against the oven's heat. For greater convenience, use a cooking
spray that has flour in the mix, such as Pam for Baking, Baker's Joy or Crisco
No-Stick Flour Spray.
Whole-wheat pastry flour has less gluten-forming potential than regular
whole-wheat flour, making it a better choice for tender baked goods.
To properly measure flour when baking, use a spoon to lightly scoop flour from
its container into a measuring cup. Once in the measuring cup, use a knife or
other straight edge to level the flour with the top of the cup. If the
measuring cup is dipped directly into the container—a common mistake—the flour
will be packed into the cup and result in extra flour being added to the
recipe, yielding tough, dense baked goods.
Room-temperature butter for a batter is one of the biggest culinary missteps.
In fact, butter must be below 68°F to trap air molecules and build structure.
Otherwise, the fat will be liquefied and the cake will be flat. To get "cool"
butter: Cut refrigerated butter into chunks and let them sit in a bowl for 5
minutes before beating.
Eggs must be at room temperature for the proteins to unwind enough to support
the cake's crumb. Either set the eggs out on the counter for 15 minutes or
submerge them in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5
minutes.
Although you cannot overbeat the eggs, sugar and butter, you can overbeat the
flour. If you do, you'll develop the gluten and create a quick bread rather
than a layer cake. Beat the flour just until there are no white grains of
undissolved flour visible but not until the batter is smooth.
RECIPE METHOD
To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with
cooking spray with flour (see Tip); alternatively, coat the pans with regular
cooking spray, line them with parchment paper and spray the paper.
Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat 4 eggs and 2/3 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on
medium-high speed until pale yellow and doubled in volume, 5 to 10 minutes..
Beat in vanilla and 1 teaspoon lime zest.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold almond (or canola) oil into the egg mixture,
using long, even strokes, until just incorporated. Add the flour mixture;
gently stir until just incorporated. Divide the batter between the pans; spread
to the edges and gently rap the pans against the counter once or twice to
settle the batter..
Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly browned and a toothpick
inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
for 10 minutes, then invert the layers onto the rack, remove the pans and
parchment paper, if using, and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
To prepare lime filling: Whisk condensed milk, lime juice and 1 teaspoon lime
zest in a medium bowl until combined. Refrigerate until thickened, at least 30
minutes or overnight.
To prepare meringue: Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at
high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar in a slow, steady
stream. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.
Transfer one layer, bottom-side down, to a large baking sheet. Spread the
meringue on top of the cake, creating decorative peaks and valleys in the
meringue with a rubber spatula. Broil until lightly browned, watching carefully
to prevent burning, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
To assemble cake: Place the plain layer, top-side down, on a serving plate;
spread the lime filling on top. Cover with the meringue-topped layer.
Recipe reprinted by permission of © EatingWell Magazine. All rights reserved.
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~~~***Rhonda G in Missouri***~ ~~
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