Lemon Fondant Fancies Recipe

Name: Lemon Fondant Fancies Recipe
Ingredients: 175g butter, softened; 175g golden caster sugar; 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten; 175g self raising flour, sifted; 2 tbsp milk; 50g golden caster sugar; 50ml water; 1/4 tsp lemon essence; 75g butter, softened; 150g icing sugar, sifted; 3-5 tbsp lemon curd; 250g marzipan; 2 tbsp smooth apricot jam, warmed; 450g fondant icing sugar, sifted plus extra for dusting; Yellow food colouring

These delightfully retro lemony gems are bound to bring back some wonderful memories. A tasty, traditional recipe for homemade lemon fondant fancies

A tasty, traditional recipe for homemade lemon fondant fancies…

These delightfully retro lemony gems are bound to bring back some wonderful memories of afternoon tea with the family. The icing can be challenging, but well worth the effort!

Content continues after advertisements

Servings

Ingredients

For the cake

175g butter, softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
175g self raising flour, sifted
2 tbsp milk

For the syrup

50g golden caster sugar
50ml water
1/4 tsp lemon essence

For the filling

75g butter, softened
150g icing sugar, sifted
3-5 tbsp lemon curd

For the topping

250g marzipan
2 tbsp smooth apricot jam, warmed
450g fondant icing sugar, sifted plus extra for dusting
Yellow food colouring

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/Gas Mark 5. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Fold in the flour and if the mixture looks a little stiff add enough milk so the mixture easily falls off a spoon.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and level the top. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool upside down on a cooling rack. When cool place in the fridge for 15 mins so it is cold which will make it easier to cut later on.

For the syrup, heat the sugar and water in a pan. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring well until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool then add the lemon essence.

For the butter cream filling, beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth and soft. Gradually stir in the icing sugar and beat well.

To assemble the cake, use a very long knife to remove the dark crust from the top of the chilled cake. Turn the cake upside down so the base is on the top then cut the cake horizontally in half.

Drizzle or brush the bottom half of the cake with the sugar syrup and then spread with the buttercream. Top with the lemon curd and carefully place the top half of the cake in place. If time allows, wrap the cake in cling film and chill for about 2-3 hours to make it easier to cut later on.

For the topping, lightly dust your work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan to the same size as the cake. Brush the top of the cake with the warm apricot jam and carefully place the marzipan on top ensuring it is smooth and flat. Trim any excess then cut up the cake into 4cm squares.

Mix the fondant icing sugar in a bowl with hot water following the manufacturer’s instructions to make a smooth spreadable icing that is thick enough to coat the cakes. Place 3 tbsp of the icing into another bowl, cover with cling film and set aside.

Add a few drops of yellow food colouring to the remaining icing and mix until evenly distributed throughout. Carefully cover the top and sides of the square cakes with the icing, gently easing it down the sides until you have an even coating all over the cakes. Place the cakes on a cooling rack until the icing is set.

Drizzle thin lines of the remaining white icing onto the top of the cakes either using a piping bag fitted with a very fine nozzle or freehand using a teaspoon. Allow to set.

Top Tips!

When spreading the icing over the cakes you may find it useful to dip the knife in hot water and then quickly dry it, so the residual heat in the knife helps move and smooth the icing.

If you don’t fancy icing the white lines on the cakes, simply drop a little icing on the top of the cakes and spread it a little if necessary to allow it to drip down the sides.

Top with a sugar or real edible flower.

Last updated 8 months ago