Raspberry Meringue Heart - cooking recipe

Ingredients

400 g butter, softened
250 g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 None lemon, zest only
3 medium egg yolks
6 medium egg whites
75 g plain flour
75 g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
25 g liquid glucose
100 ml buttermilk, at room temperature
100 g small meringues, roughly crushed
250 g fresh raspberrries

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Grease and line the base of a 8x9 inch heart-shaped cake pan. Place 3/4 cup butter in a bowl with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and lemon zest. Beat together until pale and creamy, then gradually beat in the egg yolks. In a separate bowl whisk 3 of the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in 1/3 cup of the remaining sugar. Fold into the butter-egg yolk mixture one-third at a time. Combine flour, cornstarch and baking powder, then sift dry mixture over the wet mixture. Fold gently to combine.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and gently level the surface. Bake for 25-30 mins until risen, golden and just firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 5 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, place the rest of the butter and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until very soft and creamy. Place the rest of the sugar in a pan with the corn syrup and 1/3 cup water. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then simmer for 10 mins until syrupy. Cool for 5 mins. Whisk the remaining egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then gradually whisk in the hot sugar syrup. Cool, then fold into the creamed butter, one spoonful at a time. Fold in the buttermilk.
Place the cake on a serving plate and spread the frosting all over the top and sides. Press the crushed meringues around the sides of the cake and top with the raspberries.