A decadently rustic, special garden occasion summer cake!
Lemon drizzle cake ingredients
225g unsalted butter room temperature (or vegan butter or equivalent)
225g organic caster sugar (or organic coconut sugar)*
225g white organic self-raising flour*
4 medium eggs
Grated or finely chopped zest of one lemon
Drizzle for lemon sponge layer
Juice of one and a half lemons freshly squeezed
75 grams icing sugar*
Lime drizzle cake ingredients
225g unsalted butter room temperature (or vegan butter or equivalent)
225g organic caster sugar (or organic coconut sugar)*
225g white organic self-raising flour*
4 medium eggs
Grated or finely chopped zest of two limes
Drizzle for lime sponge layer
Juice of two limes freshly squeezed
75 g icing sugar*
Lemon or lemon and lime curd for spreading on the upturned lemon bottom sponge.
Icing for decoration
50g icing sugar*
Juice of one lime freshly squeezed
A little grated or finely chopped lime zest of one lime
Shortbread hearts ingredients
100g unsalted cooled butter cubed (or coconut oil, vegan butter)
50g caster sugar (or coconut sugar)*
100g plain organic white flour*
50g organic ground almonds*
(* Available from So Sustainable)
A handful of lemon, lime (or both!) soft jelly sweets sliced thinly
Sponge oven temp: 180 degrees
Sponge cooking time: 40 -50 mins
Shortbread oven temp: 150 degrees
Shortbread hearts cooking time: 15 - 20 mins
Helpful hint:
You may find it useful to prepare your shortbread hearts and cook them before making the sponge. It is then easier to assemble the cake in one go, rather than having to cook after you have made the sponge.
Method:
Shortbread
Crumble and work the butter, sugar, ground almonds and flour together with your hands to combine all the ingredients until they form a dough.
Place the dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and roll out until about 0.5cm thickness.
Use a heart shaped cookie cutter or cut around a template with a sharp knife and carefully lift biscuits onto a lined baking tray. Press a fork lightly into the surface of the top of each heart to perforate the surface. You will need about 3 large and 4 small hearts for the cake decoration. You can eat the rest!
Place the baking tray in the fridge for approximately 30 mins to cool the dough before cooking.
Then place in a hot oven at 150 degrees for approximately 15 - 20 mins and remove when a pale golden colour and leave to cool.
Lemon Drizzle sponge layer
Mix butter and caster sugar together until creamy and then slowly add the eggs, beating them together with the creamy mixture.
Sift the self-raising flour into the mixing bowl with the other creamed ingredients and fold in until combined and then mix in the grated lemon zest.
Transfer the mixture into a lined 8/9” baking tin (preferably with a detachable bottom) and gently smooth out.
Place in a hot oven 180 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes (and check the middle with a carefully inserted knife before removing).
When the cake is cooked leave it in the baking tin and prick small holes into the top of the cake with a skewer or a fork.
Lemon drizzle
Place the juice of one and a half lemons into a microwaveable cup together with the icing sugar and mix well then place (covered) into the microwave for 10 seconds.
Remove the drizzle mixture and then pour it over the sponge cake, ensuring that you cover all the holes in the top of the cake with the mixture.
Leave to cool.
Remove carefully from baking tin and make sure that the cake is upside down on a wire tray.
Lime drizzle sponge layer
Mix butter and caster sugar together until creamy and then slowly add the eggs, beating them together with the creamy mixture.
Sift the self-raising flour into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and fold in until combined and then mix in the grated lime zest.
Transfer the mixture into a lined 8/9” baking tin (preferably with a detachable bottom) and gently smooth out.
Place in the hot oven 180 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes. (and check the middle with a carefully inserted knife before removing).
When the cake is cooked leave it in the baking tin and prick small holes into the top of the cake with a skewer or a fork.
Lime drizzle
Place the juice of two limes into a microwaveable cup together with the icing sugar and mix well then place (covered) into the microwave for 10 seconds.
Remove the drizzle mixture, stirring, and then pour it over the sponge cake, ensuring that you cover all the holes in the top of the cake with the mixture.
Leave to cool.
Constructing the cake
Transfer the sponge from the tin to a wire tray, making sure that the lemon sponge is upside down on the left and the lime is the right way up on the right! (So that you know which is which!)
Spoon the lemon or lemon and lime curd from the jar to the upturned lemon sponge and spread until the sponge is covered in an even layer.
Then carefully place the lime drizzle sponge the right way up on top of the curd covered lemon sponge.
Mix the icing ingredients (lime juice, a little zest and icing sugar) ensuring no lumps are in the mixture and drizzle over the top of the entire cake.
Leave to set.
Arrange and overlap the cooled shortbread hearts in the centre of the cake, using a little blob of thickly mixed icing sugar and water here and there to hold them in place.
Sprinkle the sliced jelly sweets over the hearts and finish with a tiny sprinkling of icing sugar and a little lime zest.
You may have a few shortbread hearts left over… perhaps a reward with a cup of tea of coffee for your efforts?!
Leave the cake to rest in an airtight container for a couple of hours at least before eating.
Enjoy your special treat!
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