A Late Lemony Birthday Cake.

Hellooo there,

So have you morphed into Carrie Bradshaw? Are you eating lots of Pancakes? Have you taken a picture of the Statue of Liberty? Hope so.

I’m afraid I’m feeling a bit like a bad sort of friend at the minute. You see we took a little trip away and properly lived the Riviera life-style; no phones, no computers, playing Monopoly by candle-light. It was the sort of holiday which meant the knotty muscles in your back melted away in just one balmy night, and you don’t think of one single to-do list, which is big news for a nut like me...but I’ll go into details about that another time.

The thing about being in a different country and not knowing the time or date or day is that when far away friends’ birthdays are around the corner, you remember that it’s their birthday on the day, then you get back and realise that that day was wrong and you just text your friend on their birthday without even mentioning it to them. 

This feels mean and makes me sad because birthdays are the BEST, second only to Christmas and also, I love post and missing out on receiving birthday post is a terrible notion. I therefore must make up for it with cake and late birthday love and hope that they forgive me. With Love and Cake.

Lemon Curd Cake

From Avoca Tea Time

A few notes:

·         If I made this again, I’d double the quantities for the butter icing and use it both on top and in the middle of the cake. The whipped cream adds a nice fluffy texture but the subtle taste is a bit lost amongst all the zingy-ness.

·         To cut the cake into two layers, cut through with a bread knife and then use the knife and another similar implement to criss-cross over each other in the middle of the cake. That way, the top layer that is lifted off is supported all over.

Makes a nice big cake

You will need

For the cake

A 23cm cake tin

225g soft butter

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

225g self-raising flour

1 lemon

1 tsp baking powder

For the middle

A medium carton of double cream

A jar of lemon curd

For the butter icing

50g soft butter

100g icing sugar

 Zest of 1 lemon

·         Preheat the oven to 170°.

·         Grease and line your cake tin. I know it’s a hassle, but you’ll regret not doing it.

·         Starting with the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until creamy and light and then gradually beat if the eggs.

·         Gently fold in the flour and baking powder, followed by the zest of the lemon and the juice of half.

·         Spoon into the tin and bake, low down in the oven, for around 55 minutes, though check what it looks like after 45. It should just be turning golden and be firm in them middle.

·         Once cooked leave to cool for a bit then turn out the tin and leave to cool completely. Icing a warm cake is a bad plan.

·         Meanwhile, whip the cream and put together the butter cream by beating the butter until it increases in volume and takes on a lighter colour.

·         Beat in the icing sugar, the zest of the new lemon and the juice of the half left over from the cake mixture. It’ll look impossible at first but you’ll get there.

·         Now it’s ready to assemble. Cut the cake in half horizontally and pop the top half on the dish that you’re serving the cake from. The top becomes the bottom you see.

·         Spread this half with whipped cream and top with ¾ of the jar of lemon curd.

·         Now nestle the second half of the cake on top, with the base facing upwards. This way you get a nice even surface.

·         Spread the butter icing on top of the cake and drizzle with the rest of the lemon curd.

·         Sing happy birthday and make a wish.