These two flavours are beautiful on their own but when combined they are sublime. This cake has the flavours of summer and can be decorated with fresh edible flowers or some fresh summer berries. It transforms a Lemon Victoria sponge into a showstopper.
I use the all in one I method to make the cake, I like to use my homemade lemon curd but if you don’t have the time buy a good quality lemon curd.
Elderflower and Lemon Cake, serves 12
These two flavours are beautiful on their own but when combined they are sublime. This cake has the flavours of summer and can be decorated with fresh edible flowers or some fresh summer berries. It transforms a Lemon Victoria sponge into a showstopper. I use the all in one I method to make the cake, I like to use my homemade lemon curd but if you don’t have the time buy a good quality lemon curd.
What you will need
Grease the pans with a little butter and place a round of silicone or parchment in the bases then dust with a little flour.
You will need a sauce pan to make the syrup.
To make the lemon curd you can use a double boiler if you have one but you can also make it in a bowl in the microwave or in a bowl placed over a sauce pan of simmering water. I use Delia Smith’s recipe.
You will also need a disposable piping bag and a size Piping nozzle.
Set the oven for 180C, 160C fan assisted
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
Lemon curd
Elderflower and Lemon syrup
Elderflower Chantilly Cream
These two flavours are beautiful on their own but when combined they are sublime. This cake has the flavours of summer and can be decorated with fresh edible flowers or some fresh summer berries. It transforms a Lemon Victoria sponge into a showstopper. I use the all in one I method to make the cake, I like to use my homemade lemon curd but if you don’t have the time buy a good quality lemon curd.
What you will need
- Four 20cm diameter baking pans ( if you only have 2 you can halve the sponge recipe and repeat the sponge making twice).
Grease the pans with a little butter and place a round of silicone or parchment in the bases then dust with a little flour.
You will need a sauce pan to make the syrup.
To make the lemon curd you can use a double boiler if you have one but you can also make it in a bowl in the microwave or in a bowl placed over a sauce pan of simmering water. I use Delia Smith’s recipe.
You will also need a disposable piping bag and a size Piping nozzle.
- An offset spatula would also be a useful tool.
- A cake board or cake plate slightly bigger than 20cm diameter.
- A cake turntable would be helpful.
- A stand mixer with the egg whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer.
Set the oven for 180C, 160C fan assisted
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
- 280g eggs (out of shells)
- 280g caster sugar
- 280g soft margarine
- 280g self raising flour plus a little for dusting the baking pans.
- 10g baking powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- I tablespoon elderflower cordial
- Zest of two unwaxed lemons
- All the ingredients should be at room temperature
Lemon curd
- 2 jars of Tiptree lemon curd.
Elderflower and Lemon syrup
- 3 tablespoons elderflower cordial
- Juice and zest of an unwaxed lemon
- 50g caster sugar
Elderflower Chantilly Cream
- 500ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of elderflower cordial
- 2 tablespoons lemon curd
- 75g icing sugar
- 20 viola flower heads or 400g soft summer fruits such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries
Method
Sift the flour and baking powder.
Place the eggs in a bowl, add the other ingredients and gradually combine before beating for one minute.
Leave the egg mixture in the bowl to dissolve the sugar whilst you grease and line the baking pans.
Beat the cake mixture on high for two minutes, share the mixture between the four pans ( I place a pan on my weighing scales and weigh into it 280g of mixture .
Place in the oven and bake for 20 -25 minutes, check to see if they are baked after 20 minutes.
When baked place them on a cooling rack and brush the top of each cake with the elderflower syrup and allow to cool completely.
Elderflower syrup
Whilst the cakes are baking prepare the elderflower syrup.
Place the cordial, lemon juice, zest and caster sugar in a pan and gently bring to the boil allowing the caster sugar to dissolve, allow to simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the syrup slightly.
Whilst the cakes are cooling prepare the Chantilly cream.
Chantilly Cream
In a bowl place the cream,cordial, lemon curd, icing sugar and vanilla extract . On low speed begin to beat the ingredients until they are combined and then beat on medium until thick and stands in peaks.
To assemble the cake
Place the cake board on the cake turntable, place a tablespoon of the Chantilly cream on the middle of the board to anchor the cake down on the base.
Spread about 4 tablespoons of cream onto the cake with a spatula and then spread 2 tablespoons of lemon curd onto the cream.
Place the the next cake layer on top of the first layer and repeat the process until the four layers are stacked.
Using the spatula spread the the cream around the sides of the cake making sure to fill in where there are gaps.
Holding the spatula vertically against the side of the cake turn the turntable and smooth the sides of the cake ( in doing this you will expose some of the cake don’t worry this is the fashion and it’s called “ a semi naked cake”).
Place two tablespoons of cream on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
Half fill the piping bag will Chantilly Cream and pipe 8 roses on the top of the cake. When you complete the circle of roses continue to pipe roses around the cake side diagonally to create a rope of roses around the cake winding down to the cake base.
Place the flowers or fruits around the cake.
The cake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Sift the flour and baking powder.
Place the eggs in a bowl, add the other ingredients and gradually combine before beating for one minute.
Leave the egg mixture in the bowl to dissolve the sugar whilst you grease and line the baking pans.
Beat the cake mixture on high for two minutes, share the mixture between the four pans ( I place a pan on my weighing scales and weigh into it 280g of mixture .
Place in the oven and bake for 20 -25 minutes, check to see if they are baked after 20 minutes.
When baked place them on a cooling rack and brush the top of each cake with the elderflower syrup and allow to cool completely.
Elderflower syrup
Whilst the cakes are baking prepare the elderflower syrup.
Place the cordial, lemon juice, zest and caster sugar in a pan and gently bring to the boil allowing the caster sugar to dissolve, allow to simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the syrup slightly.
Whilst the cakes are cooling prepare the Chantilly cream.
Chantilly Cream
In a bowl place the cream,cordial, lemon curd, icing sugar and vanilla extract . On low speed begin to beat the ingredients until they are combined and then beat on medium until thick and stands in peaks.
To assemble the cake
Place the cake board on the cake turntable, place a tablespoon of the Chantilly cream on the middle of the board to anchor the cake down on the base.
Spread about 4 tablespoons of cream onto the cake with a spatula and then spread 2 tablespoons of lemon curd onto the cream.
Place the the next cake layer on top of the first layer and repeat the process until the four layers are stacked.
Using the spatula spread the the cream around the sides of the cake making sure to fill in where there are gaps.
Holding the spatula vertically against the side of the cake turn the turntable and smooth the sides of the cake ( in doing this you will expose some of the cake don’t worry this is the fashion and it’s called “ a semi naked cake”).
Place two tablespoons of cream on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
Half fill the piping bag will Chantilly Cream and pipe 8 roses on the top of the cake. When you complete the circle of roses continue to pipe roses around the cake side diagonally to create a rope of roses around the cake winding down to the cake base.
Place the flowers or fruits around the cake.
The cake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.