Lemons are one of my all time favourite ingredients to bake with especially during the summer months. There's something much more delicious about a refreshing lemon cake when the weathers that bit hotter. I've tried so many different variations of lemon cake over that past few months but I finally think that I may have perfected it. This cake is made up of a moist lemon sponge, a gooey lemon curd centre, and is covered in tangy lemon butter cream. I've kept it simple and decorated it with fresh lemon and mint leaves dusted with icing sugar.
Ingredients
( Makes an 8 inch round cake)
FOR THE CAKE
450g Caster Sugar
450g Butter (softened)
8 Eggs
450g Self Raising Flour (sieved)
Rind of 2 lemons
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
300g Butter (softened)
600g Icing Sugar
2 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
3-4 tbsp Boiling Water
FOR THE LEMON CURD
2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
200g Caster Sugar
3 Lemons (juice of all three, zest of one)
75g Butter
Method
FOR THE CAKE
1) Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F / Gas Mark 5, grease your baking tin with oil or melted butter and line it with grease proof paper
2) Cream the butter and sugar together using your electric mixer until fully combined. The secret for this cake is to be patient when mixing.
3) Add in the eggs one by one and continue to mix.
4) Once combined again, start to add in the sieved flour, one spoon at a time as you mix
5) Once all the flour is in, add the lemon rind and continue to mix - be patient and allow the mixture to form a light fluffy texture
6) Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin and bake for approximately 40-50 mins until golden brown and no longer gooey in the centre
7) Once cooked, leave the cake to cool on a wore tray while you prepare the lemon curd and butter cream
FOR THE LEMON CURD
1) Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large heat proof bowl until combined
2) Add in the lemon juice and rind and continue to stir
3) Then add the butter and sit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bowl does by actually touch the water
4) Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and then leave for a further 10 minutes stirring from time to time - the mixture should have thickened but leave the bowl to sit to one side until you are ready to use it so it thickens further. You probably won't use all the curd in the cake so enjoy it on toast or digestive biscuits - yum!
FOR THE BUTTER CREAM
1) Mix the butter and sugar together in the electric mixer until creamy (be patient it might take a while)
2) Then add in the lemon juice and continue to beat
3) Finally add in the boiling water and beat at a high speed until light and fluffy
To Assemble
1) Using a long bread knife, slice the cake in two
2) Separate the layers and squeeze fresh lemon juice or a few tsp of lemon liquor into each
3) Then spread the lemon curd onto one half, topped by a layer of butter cream
4) Sit the plain layer on top of the other and completely cover the cake in the remaining butter cream
5) Decorate as you wish and enjoy!
 |
| You can also use the same recipe to create these cute lemon cupcakes. Simply half the ingredients, follow the same recipe, but, divide the mix into cupcake cases rather than one baking tin. |
