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1. Tres Leches Cake
Kuba Kuba, $5.95 per slice, $50 per whole cake
Far from the milk cake’s traditional thin topper, Kuba Kuba lathers its masterful tres leches with Italian meringue: a stiffer, more stable frosting than the norm. If you’re lucky, there’ll be a sliced chocolate version in the case. If you’re blessed — and call months ahead to order — you can enjoy a whole one.
2. Lemon Meringue Pie
Mr. Baker, $37 per pie (including delivery)
Darrick Harris, aka Mr. Baker, runs his pans about town, filling them with fanciful, made-to-your-specs desserts. My jam? His tangy lemon tart: juiced citrus and zest capped with a golden brown, torched meringue.
3. Coconut Meringue Pie
Williams Bakery, $11.99 per pie
This pie has a flaky crust, a creamy coconut filling and a thin veil of meringue to cut through one of the sweetest desserts in Mechanicsville. Reserve early; all three Williams Bakery locations often sell out by mid-day.
4. Lemon Raspberry Cake
A Peach in a Pear Tree, $7.99 per slice
Raspberry Swiss meringue icing and fresh raspberries nestle among moist cake layers, stacked sky-high and spread with lemon buttercream. The Swiss meringue cuts through the rich American buttercream, resulting in an intriguingly textured slice.
5. Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich
Whisk, $5.25 each
Built from almond flour and meringue, the wafers buttressing Whisk’s ice cream sandwich are not only light and crisp, but gluten-free. You’ll see a rainbow of ice cream fillings this summer: flavors include fresh berries, sweet basil, and a rummy bananas foster with dulce de leche.
