Before you start, bring all your ingredients to room temperature

Separate the eggs, putting the whites into the fridge

Cover the base & up the side of the tin with tin foil, making it water-tight

Place the tin in an oven proof dish large enough that it can sit flat & level

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF/gas mark 3

Put the cream cheese and caster sugar into the bowl of an electric food mixer

Using the K-beater attachment, mix on a medium speed for about a minute until there are no lumps

Add the softened butter and mix, again on a medium speed, until there are no lumps

Add the egg yolks a little at a time before adding all the double cream. Combine

Add the lemon juice and rum. Combine

Sift the flour before adding to the mixture. Combine

Put the mixture into a large bowl, before thoroughly washing and drying the food mixer bowl

Put the cold egg whites into the mixer bowl and, using the whisk attachment on a high speed, whip them into stiff peaks

Slow the speed to medium and (while still moving) add the granulated sugar a little at a time to the egg white

Boil half a kettle-full of water

Carefully fold the meringue, half at a time, into the batter using a large metal spoon

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and level the top with the back of the spoon

Carefully pour the boiling water into the large oven-proof dish containing the cake tin before putting it into the oven

Bake for an hour at 160ºC/320ºF/gas mark 3 before lowering the temperature to 150ºC/300ºC/gas mark 2 and cooking for another 30 minutes

Turn off the oven, leave the oven door ajar, leaving the cake in the oven for 20 minutes

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in its tin on a wire rack