This Toasted Vanilla Meringue Cake is elegant and delicious, yet light and super easy to whip up. The cake is make with a few simple ingredients, and just one bowl! Something yummy that requires minimal time and effort – and dishes — is always a welcome addition!

Toasted Vanilla Meringue Cake

Toasted Vanilla Meringue Cake

Toasted Vanilla Meringue Cake

Toasted Vanilla Meringue Cake

Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • ½ vanilla pod
  • ½ stick Unsalted Challenge Butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream or milk

Meringue

  • 5 egg whites
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ vanilla pod
  • Pinch of cream of tartar

Cake

  • 1

    Line the bottom of an 9-inch round spring pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.

  • 2

    Preheat the oven to 375° F with a rack positioned in the lower third.

  • 3

    Whisk the flour and baking powder together and set aside.

  • 4

    In a large bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and inside of vanilla pod on high speed until it is thick and pale…3 to 4 minutes.

  • 5

    Beat in the melted butter, then add the cream/milk. Add the flour mixture and fold and stir until blended. Scrape into the pan.

  • 6

    Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

Meringue

  • 1

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and water to a boil. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add both seeds and pod to the saucepan. Boil until syrup reaches soft-ball stage (240°F on a candy thermometer). You an tell the syrup is ready by dropping some in a plate. if it hardens within 30 seconds, it’s done. Remove vanilla pod.

  • 2

    In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon sugar on low until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium high until stiff but not dry.

  • 3

    With mixer running, pour syrup down side of bowl into egg whites in a steady stream. Beat on high speed for about 15 minutes until the egg whites are cool to the touch and stiff and glossy.

  • 4

    Spread the meringue over the cake and toast with a torch.

  • !

    You can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead of the bean but I would not recommend it because it will just not taste the same.