Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Light, fluffy and bursting with citrus, this Lemon Curd Sandwich Cake is a teatime delight. Layers of soft lemon sponge are filled with silky lemon buttercream and smooth, zesty Tiptree Lemon Curd, then finished with delicate swirls of buttercream and edible flowers. Perfect for afternoon tea or any celebration that calls for a little sunshine.
270g caster sugar
Zest of 3 lemons
250g soft unsalted butter at room temperature
300g plain flour
5 large eggs at room temperature
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp milk
190g soft unsalted butter
A pinch of salt
300g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp lemon juice
A little dash of yellow food colouring paste (optional)
150g of Tiptree Lemon Curd
Icing sugar to dust
Edible flowers, such as primroses or violas, or sprinkles
Grease 2 x 8” 20cm sandwich tins with butter and line the bases with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale, light and fluffy.
Beat in 50g of the flour until smooth. This will stop the eggs from curdling at the next stage.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in the milk.
Sift in the remaining flour and baking powder and gently fold into the mixture until just combined.
Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Bake at 170°C / 150°C fan oven / Gas Mark 3 for about 30-40 minutes until risen and lightly golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter for around 5 minutes until pale.
Sift in half of the icing sugar and lemon juice and beat for a few minutes until incorporated. Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. If you want a yellow icing add a small amount of yellow food colouring and mix to achieve a pale yellow colour.
Using three-quarters of the buttercream, spread an even layer of the buttercream over the bottom of one of the cake layers, building up a rim at the edge to create a dam. Add the lemon curd to the centre and spread it to the edge of the buttercream rim. Place the second cake layer on top, right side up.
Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar and pipe swirls of buttercream on top of the cake. Decorate with edible flowers or any sprinkles of your choice.
Slice and serve. Best eaten straight away; any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.
