Lemon Sponge

The lightest cakes are sponges, and this lemon sponge is no exception, and very suitable for Easter, as it balances out all that chocolate!  I don't normally use margarines or buttery spreads in cooking, but it does give a better result when you use the "all in one" method.     Perfect for a cook in a hurry!

The centre of this cake is filled with a mixture of whipped double cream and home made lemon curd, and it has a lemon butter icing.  Alternatively, you could do a lemon glacé icing.  You mix the juice in to the sugar, slowly, until you have the consistency you want - too thick and the top of the cake comes off, too thin and the icing makes a dash for the plate!   You can see here that I forgot to grease the sides of the tin....

Decorate with mini eggs, chickens and other Easter symbols, and tie with a bright yellow ribbon to remind you that spring is nearly here.

Lemon Sponge Cake

Classic Lemon Sponge Cake

3 large fresh eggs

6oz/170g  sieved self raising flour

6oz/170g  caster sugar

6oz/170g  butter or spread at room temperature

1 tsp baking powder

Filling:

½ pint double cream, whipped, combined with:

small jar of lemon curd – amount to taste

Toppings:

Butter Icing:

6oz/150g  sieved icing sugar

3oz/75g butter at room temperature (not marge!)

grated rind of half a lemon

small quantity of lemon juice

Glacé Icing:

4oz/110g sieved icing sugar

juice of approx half a lemon, heated

Preheat oven to 180 deg C, and line two 8” loose bottom sandwich tins with parchment (or spray with a “cake release” agent), and grease the sides.

In a food processor or Kenwood, blend the cake ingredients together and then beat until pale and fluffy.   Divide between the tins and cook for 15-25 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven) until risen and golden brown.  To test, they should have come away from the edges slightly, and if you put a (heated) knife or skewer into the middle, it will come out clean.

Tip out of the tins onto a wire rack and leave to cool.  When cool, make the icing and filling.  Blend the butter icing in a food processor, adding lemon juice for taste and to give a softer consistency – again, too hard and the cake top will peel off as you spread it.   

Sandwich the middle section of the cake together first, using the lemon curd and cream mix.  Then, use a flat bladed knife to add the icing top (it helps to have a mug of boiling water handy to wash the knife).  Decorate before the icing has dried.