Lemon sponge cake for summer days
A simple but striking lemon sponge cake recipe
It’s been all go in the cottage this summer. The arrival of our puppy in April has occupied most of our time (the BEST thing ever) and the days are racing by. I can’t believe it’s July in a few days?! Madness.
Amidst the chaos, I’ve been loving finding time to bake. Always such a therapy for me.
This lemon-y sponge cake is so easy to make, cooked up for The Cotswold Co this month. It’s light and refreshing for this lovely warm weather we’re having. Strawberries are at their best now, but you can use seasonal berries all summer long.
Summer sponge cake
serves 8 - 10
Ingredients
250g US butter, at room temp
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2-3 tsp milk
120ml double cream
2 tbsp lemon curd plus 1 tbsp for top
Strawberries and garden flowers to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan and line and butter two 18cm cake tins.
Using an electric whisk, or in a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest for at least five minutes - until very pale and frothy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition until fully incorporated, then add the vanilla extract.
Add the flour and baking powder and mix until uniform. You may need a little milk to loosen the batter - add 1/2 tsp at a time and mix in until the batter just drops off a spoon.
Divide equally between the two cake tins and transfer to the oven for 30-40 minutes, testing after 30 to see how they are cooking. They should be golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle should come out clean. If still a little undercooked, return to the oven and check after a few minutes.
Remove from their tins and leave to cool on a wire cake rack.
When completely cool, whip the cream until you get soft peaks. Assemble the cake, spreading the lemon curd between the layers and a good dollop of cream in between.
In a small bowl, add the 1 tbsp of lemon curd for the top of the cake into the remaining cream and swirl. Decorate the top of the cake with this mix, keeping as much swirl in tact as possible, and cover with strawberries and flowers.