The Tomboy Cake

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 0.3 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 3 large egg whites 
• 4 large egg yolk 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose plus more
• 0.3 teaspoon gelatin powder unflavored
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream chilled
• 0.1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 0.3 cup juice of lemon fresh
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 
• 1 cup slivered almonds 
• 0.7 cup strawberry jam 
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 6 tablespoons butter unsalted cut into 1/2" pieces ()
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• blender
• plastic wrap
• hand mixer
• stand mixer
• pastry bag
• offset spatula
• serrated knife

Directions

1. For cake: Arrange racks in upper and lowerthirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter andflour cake pans. Line bottom of pans withparchment-paper rounds; butter paper.Pulse 2 1/2 cups flour and almonds in a foodprocessor until almonds are finely ground.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk inbaking powder and salt; set aside.
3. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuringcup; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat2 cups sugar and 1 cup butter in a large bowluntil light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
4. Add eggyolks and continue to beat, occasionallyscraping down sides and bottom of bowl,until pale yellow and fluffy, 4–5 minutes.
5. Adddry ingredients in 3 additions, alternatingwith milk mixture in 2 additions, beginningand ending with dry ingredients. (Do notovermix or cake will dome and be dense.)
6. Using an electric mixer with clean, drybeaters, whip egg whites in a medium bowluntil light and frothy. With mixer running,gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar.Beat meringue until medium peaks form,3–4 minutes.
7. Fold 1/4 of meringue into batter just untilincorporated (this will lighten batter, makingit easier to fold in remaining meringue).Gently fold in remaining meringue until fullyincorporated. Divide batter evenly amongprepared pans. Smooth tops.
8. Bake cakes, rotating from left to right andtop to bottom halfway through, until goldenbrown and the sides of cakes begin to pullaway from pans, 40–45 minutes.
9. Transferto wire racks.
10. Let cakes cool in pans for10 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; peel offparchment and let cool completely.
11. If needed, use a long serrated knife totrim dome from each cake (about 1/8") tocreate a flat surface. DO AHEAD: Cakes canbe made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plasticwrap and store at room temperature.
12. Place 2 teaspoons cold water in asmall bowl; sprinkle gelatin over.
13. Let standuntil gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.
14. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, and eggs ina medium metal bowl; place over a largesaucepan of simmering water and cook,whisking constantly, until mixture thickens,5–6 minutes. (Do not allow bottom of bowlto touch the water or mixture will cook toofast and eggs may scramble.)
15. Remove bowl from heat and transfermixture to a blender. With blender running,add butter 1 piece at a time until butter iscompletely incorporated.
16. Add softenedgelatin and blend 30 seconds longer.
17. Transfer lemon curd to a medium bowland place a piece of plastic wrap directly onthe surface of the curd. Chill until cold andset, 3–4 hours or overnight.
18. Using an electric mixer, beat chilledcream in another medium bowl until softpeaks form (warm cream will not whip up).
19. Add powdered sugar. Continue to beat untilmedium peaks form, 2–3 minutes.
20. Whiskcurd to loosen; gently fold in whippedcream; set aside. DO AHEAD: Lemon creamcan be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
21. Bring 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water to a boil ina small saucepan, stirring to dissolvesugar. Cook without stirring until candythermometer registers 240°F, 4-5 minutes.
22. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beategg whites in a medium bowl until lightand frothy (be sure to keep a close eye onthe sugar syrup). Beat in remaining 2 tablespoonssugar and cream of tartar.
23. With mixer running, gradually add hotsyrup in a thin stream, allowing syrup todrizzle down side of bowl into egg whites.Beat until egg whites are tripled in volumeand meringue is very fluffy, cool, andopaque white, about 12 minutes with a standmixer and up to 20 minutes with a handmixer. (Frosting made with a hand mixermay not be as firm as that made with a standmixer.)
24. Add vanilla and mix 1 minute longer.Use meringue immediately.
25. Fill a pastry bag fitted with large star tiphalfway with prepared meringue.
26. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand orplatter.
27. Spread 1/3 cup strawberry jam over,leaving a 1" border around edge.
28. Spread1/3 cup lemon cream over jam, keeping 1"border. Pipe a ring of meringue frosting over1" border around edge.
29. Place second cakelayer atop meringue, pressing slightly toadhere. Repeat process with second cakelayer, jam, lemon cream, and meringue.(Cover and chill remaining lemon cream foranother use.)
30. Place remaining layer on top.Using offset spatula, generously spreadremaining meringue frosting on top layer ofcake. Chill up to 4 hours.