Rustic Lemon Layer Cake

This would be great for a festive celebration - it's a rich flavour, but the sharp lemon gives it a lift.

Serve with raspberry coulis, crushed or mini meringues, and some warmed lemon curd.

This is a great beginner recipe, introducing the 'egg weigh method' of creating the perfect sponge.

If your eggs weigh 370g, or 430g, just measure out the other main ingredients to that weight as well.

For perfect results, have EVERY ingredient at room temperature, and mix as lightly as possible once the flour is in there.

This buttercream recipe is what's referred to in baking circles as ABC - American buttercream, but it's the classic buttercream we all grew up with in the UK.

Rustic Lemon Layer Cake

Makes an 8" round cake that's 4" deep. Will serve up to 24 slices.

Prep approx 1 hour, plus cooling time.

Bake time 1 hour - 1hour 15 mins.

Ingredients

Remember when baking a sponge, every ingredient should be room temperature for best baking results.

For the sponge:

• 400g butter

• 400g sugar

• 400g eggs, weighed in shells

• 400g self raising flour

• 1 tsp lemon extract

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• Splash of milk

For the drizzle:

• 75ml water

• 75g icing sugar

• 1 tsp lemon extract

For the buttercream:

• 300g butter, very soft - heat it gently until it's just starting to go liquid. Please note - you can use baking block if you are happy with the flavour & texture, but nothing from a tub, or it'll melt at a much lower temperature.

• 600g icing sugar, sifted to remove lumps

• 2 tsp lemon extract

• 1 tsp vanilla paste

For the filling & topping:

• Lemon curd - up to a full jar to suit your tastes

• 1 lemon, sliced thinly

Directions:

1. Make sure your oven rack is in the centre of the oven, and preheat to 130C/260F if you have a fan oven, 150C/300F if it's not a fan oven, or gas mark 2.

2. Grease and bottom line an 8" cake tin (3" high one).

3. In a large bowl, cream your softened butter or baking spread with the sugar until smooth.

4. Add the vanilla and lemon extracts, and the eggs one at a time, whisking on a high speed. If the mixture looks like it is separating, add a spoonful of your flour. Keep going until smooth.

5. Sieve the flour, and mix in very gently, just until you can't see the flour any more and no further. If the mixture starts to feels stiff, add a splash of milk to loosen it.

6. Split equally between the tins and smooth the tops.

7. Bake for approx 1 hour until it looks golden. Ovens can vary, so keep an eye on them - don't open the oven door until it's colouring well on top, or it'll sink in the middle. Put your ear close to the cake (please be careful!) - if you can hear it 'singing' they're not fully baked yet.

8. As soon as it come out of the oven, make your lemon drizzle syrup by putting the water, sugar and lemon extract in a pan over a medium heat and stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Use a skewer to poke holes, and pour over the cakes while still in the tin.

9. Cool in the tin on a wire rack. To remove from the tin, run a small palette knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then tip the tin upside down and gently shake.

Meanwhile, make your buttercream:

1. Stir the vanilla paste and lemon extract into the very soft butter.

2. Sift the icing sugar to remove lumps, and mix into the butter. You can use a wooden spoon, silicon spatula, electric whisk, or the beater attachment of a stand mixer. Just be aware that if you use a whisk you may get air bubbles in your buttercream, but that's really not a big deal.

3. Leave your buttercream to stand for 5-10 mins so the sugar particles can dissolve into the butter. Using this method saves having to mix for a long time. Add a small splash of boiling water straight from the kettle, mix it in, and using a silicon spatula, paddle back & forth against the side of the bowl to smooth the buttercream.

To assemble:

1. Cut the sponge in half, and layer with lemon curd and buttercream. Be aware that the lemon curd is slippery, so you may wish to secure with a cake dowel through the middle of the cake.

2. Using a large palette knife, spread a very thin layer of buttercream over the whole cake - this is called a 'crumb coat' and will stop crumbs getting into the top layer of icing. Chill for 15 minutes.

3. Give the buttercream a good stir so it spreads easily - if it's too stiff then microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it.

4. Spread the buttercream over the whole cake. Do the top first, aiming for it to be level. Then spread around the sides, working the knife from side to side to create a rustic ruffle effect around the edge. If you have a straight edged scraper, run it around the cake to smooth the sides - but remember we're going rustic here, so no pressure to get it perfectly smooth.

5. Swirl some lemon curd over the top, and garnish with the fresh lemon slices.

   
   

This cake can be made 2 days ahead - just keep refrigerated, then bring to room temperature and add the fresh lemon at the last moment before serving.

Can also be frozen - freeze it unwrapped, then loosely wrap in a few layers of cling film and then a cake box to protect it.

Defrost in the fridge overnight, still in it's packaging, before then bringing up to room temperature, to reduce the risk of condensation.