Layered meringue cake with custard and cream cheese whipped frosting

Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar and vanilla extract until light and frothy, one to two minutes.

Add 430 g sugar a little at a time and beat on high to stiff peaks, four to five minutes. Do not overwhip.

Load two piping bags, one with a star tip and one with a round tip.

Trace one nine-inch and three eight-inch circles on parchment, turn the drawings face down on a rimmed baking sheet and hold them with nonstick spray.

Pipe the edge of each disk with the star tip, flood the centre with the round tip, and pipe one extra ring around the outside of the top layer as a custard barrier.

Bake at 225F in a convection oven for one and a half to two hours until completely dry.

Let the meringues cool completely in the oven until it is cool to the touch, or temperature shock cracks them.

Whisk 90 g sugar with 30 g cornstarch until evenly dispersed, then make a slurry with 100 ml whole milk.

Combine the remaining 575 ml milk with 50 g sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a bare simmer, then kill the heat.

Beat the remaining 50 g sugar into four beaten eggs, then stream in the hot milk while whisking constantly to temper.

Return to the pan over medium-low heat and bring to just barely a boil, until little puffs of steam escape the bubbles under the foam.

Off the heat, refresh the settled cornstarch slurry, drizzle it in while whisking constantly, and return to medium-low heat whisking constantly.

Cook one to two minutes until thickened, then take off the heat.

Flavour and colour with black currant liqueur, then correct the colour with food colouring.

Strain onto plastic wrap on a rimmed baking sheet, cover and chill at least two hours or up to three days.

Beat the room-temperature cream cheese smooth, sift in 200 g powdered sugar, add a teaspoon each of vanilla extract and kosher salt, and beat.

Slowly stream in 675 ml cold heavy cream and beat to stiff peaks.

Divide the frosting in half and colour one green and one purple.

Assemble: a dollop of frosting to anchor the base layer, green frosting, a custard layer, more green frosting, another custard layer, more frosting, then the top layer.

Pipe green and purple floral decorations all around, and finish with cherries on the bottom and top levels.