Lemon layered cake

Name: Lemon layered cake
Ingredients: 10 medium free-range eggs; 600 g unsalted butter, softened; 600 g caster sugar; 600 g self-raising flour; Finely grated zest of 3 lemons; 50 g poppy seeds; 3 tbsp Belvoir Elderflower Cordial; 500 g unsalted butter, softened; 1 kg icing sugar, sifted; 3 tbsp Belvoir Elderflower Cordial; 1 tbsp hot water (use just-boiled water from the kettle); A handful of rose petals; 1 free-range egg white, lightly beaten; Caster sugar; 4 dowel rods; 16 cm thin cake board

This lemon layered cake recipe brings together all the refreshing flavour of a lemon cake with the added twist of Belvoir Elderflower Cordial...

Brought to you by Belvoir Fruit Farms

Try this delicious lemon layered cake with an extra-refreshing twist!

Go light and zesty with this scrumptious lemon layered cake with the added twist of Belvoir Elderflower Cordial. Our mouths are watering! By Belvoir Fruit Farms.

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Servings

Ingredients

For the cake

10 medium free-range eggs
600 g unsalted butter, softened
600 g caster sugar
600 g self-raising flour
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
50 g poppy seeds
3 tbsp Belvoir Elderflower Cordial

For the icing

500 g unsalted butter, softened
1 kg icing sugar, sifted
3 tbsp Belvoir Elderflower Cordial
1 tbsp hot water (use just-boiled water from the kettle)

To decorate

A handful of rose petals
1 free-range egg white, lightly beaten
Caster sugar
4 dowel rods
16 cm thin cake board

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 1 x 16cm (6in) and 1x 23cm (9in) deep cake tin.

Weigh the eggs in their shells, then measure out the same weight of butter, caster sugar and self-raising flour.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer, or with a hand whisk, until really light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in a jug, then gradually add them to the butter, adding a spoonful of flour as you whisk to stop it curdling.

Add the rest of the flour, then stir in the lemon zest, poppy seeds and cordial.

Spoon a third of the cake mixture into the smaller tin, then spoon the remaining two-thirds into the large tin. Smooth out and bake in the middle of the oven for 60-85 minutes (the small cake will be ready after about 1 hour) until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To crystallise the rose petals, brush each petal with beaten egg white and pop into a bowl of caster sugar, turning until coated. Shake off any excess and leave to dry on a wire rack. The crystallised petals will keep for 24 hours in a dry cool place; they can be left on the decorated cake for up to 8 hours.

Beat the butter until really light, then gradually add the icing sugar until you have a stiff butter icing. Add the cordial and 2-3 tbsp of boiling water and beat until light, fluffy and smooth.

Use a serrated knife to split each cake in half horizontally. Spread a 1cm (½in) thick layer of buttercream inside the cakes and sandwich them together.

Place the large cake on a cake stand and use a palette knife to spread an even 1cm (½in) thick layer of icing over the sides and top of the cake, smoothing it as you go. Place the smaller cake on the thin cake board and cover the top and sides with buttercream in the same way.

Push the 4 dowel rods into the cake, in a square in the middle. Mark in pencil where the top of the cake comes to. Remove the rods and cut to length, then push them back into the cake. Sit the little cake on top of the big cake, with a little blob of icing to secure it.

With a palette knife, use a little more icing to smooth over the seam between the two cakes. The cake is now ready and can be stored in a cool place (but not the fridge) for 24 hours. Wh en ready to serve, scatter over the crystallised rose petals.