Lemon Curd & Berries Cake

My good friend Konrad was leaving my work and so I made him his favourite cake combination, which happens to be lemon and berries. This is a combo of a lemon sponge with vanilla butter-cream, lemon curd and fresh berries with white chocolate. If you don't like them things you are WRONG!!

Serves 10-12    Prep Time 35mins   Cooking Time 25-30mins

Ingredients:

375g self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
375g caster sugar
375g butter - you can also use baking spread like Stork (I do) and a little more for greasing your tins
5 large eggs

Zest of 3 lemons (unwaxed)

2 tsp lemon essence (optional)
1/2 jar of good quality lemon curd, you cannot be too specific here, add to taste!

To decorate:
115g butter, at room temperature

225g icing sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

2tbsp milk

250g of berries of your choice - I used raspberries and blackberries here

50g white chocolate
Icing sugar to dust

Equipment:

Weighing scales

3x 20cm non-stick cake tins

Wooden spoon

Zester or grater with small grate

Large mixing bowl or stand mix with beater attached

Greaseproof paper 

Spatula 

Sieve 
Sharp knife

Preheat the oven to 170°c/fan 160°c/gas 4

Line your cake tins by smearing some butter or cooking spread around the inside in a very light layer and lining the bottom of each with a disk of greaseproof paper. I do this by cutting a square off the roll and folding it over on itself until you have a point where you can measure the size you need and open out for a perfect circle.

Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together until you have a light, pale and fluffy paste. You can do this in a stand mixer if you have one. 

Next add your eggs, one at a time, beating each time you add to emulsify the mix. 

Now it's time to add the flavourings; the lemon zest and the lemon essence. Give this a good mix to distribute evenly. 

Now you can add your flour and baking powder. Do this carefully in a folding motion so the flour doesn't get over worked (this will lose the lightness). If you're using a stand mixer then I would take it off the mixer and this point and incorporate the flour by hand. 

Your mix can then be divided between your 3 cake tins and placed in the oven. Bake them for around 15-20 mins, checking with a cocktail stick - if it comes out clean, they're done. 

Leaving them to cool in the tins whilst you get on with the toppings.

The frosting is really easy - put the butter, half the milk, and the vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and blended using a hand-held electric mixer or a wooden spoon. Sift in the icing sugar and carefully mix together to incorporate. If the mixture is a bit stiff add the remaining milk. 

Now you're ready to build your cake! Take your serving dish/cake stand and add a small dollop of the icing just to stop the cake from sliding. Then add your first cake, upside down and with the greaseproof removed. Then smooth over 1/3 of you icing with a spatula and then a layer of the lemon curd. Do this again with your next cake and finally add your loveliest cake on top. Adorn with icing, the berries (do this higglity piglity as it looks nicer). Next hold the white chocolate next to your tummy (wear an apron) on your work surface and using a large sharp knife, drag the blade over the surface of the chocolate towards you so you end up with curls of very thin white chocolate! BE CAREFUL! DANGER! Then sprinkle over the berries and dust with icing sugar. 

Then give to your Polish friend Konrad.