Lemon Meringue Cake

Directions

1. 11. Heat oven to 325º. Grease sides of 2 round pans, 9x1 1/2 or 8x1 1/2 inches. Line bottoms of pans with cooking parchment paper.
2. 22. Beat cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt, shortening, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. (Batter will be stiff.) Spread evenly in pans.
3. 33. Beat egg whites in small bowl on medium speed until foamy. Beat in 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread half of mixture over batter in each pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until meringue looks set and dry. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen meringues from edges of pans with knife point if necessary. Carefully remove from pans and peel off paper. Cool, meringue sides up, on wire racks.
4. 44. Prepare pudding mix as directed on package for pudding. Refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours or until chilled. Spread 1 1/4 cups pudding over meringue on 1 cake layer. Place remaining layer on top, meringue side up. Top with remaining pudding. Serve within 30 minutes.