Lemon & Elderflower Cake

Lemon and elderflower cake, with a naked cake buttercream design

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Keyword Cake

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 45

Servings

Calories 828kcal

Author thebakingexplorer

Ingredients

For the sponge

500 g Butter or baking spread unsalted, softened
500 g Caster sugar
3 Lemons zest only
9 Eggs large
6 tbsp Elderflower cordial
500 g Self raising flour

For brushing onto the baked sponges

3 tbsp Elderflower cordial

For the buttercream

350 g Butter unsalted, softened
700 g Icing sugar
2 tsp Lemon extract
2-3 tbsp Milk

For the decoration

100 g White ready to roll fondant
1 Lemon

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line three 8" cake tins (that are at least 2" deep)
To make the sponge cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer or by hand with spoon
Add the lemon zest and mix in
Add the eggs, two at a time, and whisk between each addition. Then add the elderflower cordial, and whisk in
Using a hand whisk, gently whisk in the self raising flour
Divide the mixture between the tins, I like to weigh it out for accuracy so the layers are even
Bake them for 45-50 minutes or until they are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or remove from the tin and place on cooling racks
To make the buttercream mix the butter and icing sugar together. Once it starts to come together add the lemon extract and milk, and mix until smooth. For best results, use an electric whisk to do this
If the cakes have domed on top, level them off with a cake leveller or a serrated knife
Put one of the sponges on a cake board, and then onto a decorating turntable and brush some of the elderflower cordial over it
Spread a layer of buttercream over the sponge and smooth it out, then add the second sponge and repeat the process
Add the final sponge layer, this time, brush the cordial on to it, then flip it over and add on top of the other sponges
Cover the cake in a base layer, or crumb coat, of buttercream
Pipe some buttercream around the top of the cake and add your chosen decorations
Move the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand to serve. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days

Notes

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
I used a shop bought elderflower cordial by a brand called Belvoir, if you have access to elderflower plants, you can make your own cordial. There are many recipes available online.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

Nutrition