Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake
Whether it’s for a tasty weekend showstopper, or all-year-round celebration, this lemony 4-layer cake masterpiece is simpler to make than you think! And it can be easily adapted to suit different flavour combos – chocolate spread and Biscoff, or blueberry and white chocolate are some of our favourites.One to keep in your back pocket for any special occasion.
Prep: 1 hr | Cook: 15 mins | Cool: 1 hr
Serves 12 people
Ingredients
- 340g salted butter, softened
- 340g caster sugar
- 1 heaped tsp vanilla paste
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 6 large FREE eggs
- 340g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp milk
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 250g salted butter, softened
- 500g icing sugar
- 1 heaped tsp vanilla paste
- 1 jar lemon curd
- ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS/FILLINGS
- 1 jar raspberry jam
- 1 punnet raspberries, approx. 150g
- Lemon zest
- YOU WILL NEED
- 4x 7inch cake tins, greased and lined
- Cake board or serving plate
Method
- Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- In a bowl cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until light and fluffy - this can be done by hand or using a food mixer for ease.
- Crack in 1 egg along with a tablespoon of flour and mix together well just until the ingredients are combined. Individually repeat with the following 5 eggs adding a little flour with each addition.
- Once all the eggs are added, sprinkle in the remaining flour and baking powder along with the milk and stir together well to form a smooth, thick batter. Divide the batter equally between the prepared tins, smooth with a palette knife or back of a spoon and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and risen.
- Once the cakes are cooked, remove from the oven and allow to fully cool on a cooling rack. In the meantime, make the buttercream.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla paste until the buttercream in smooth and light in texture - this is best done using a hand mixer. Set aside until the cakes are fully cooled.
- When ready to assemble, place the first cake layer on your cake board or serving plate, using a blob of the buttercream to stick it to the base. Spoon on 2 generous tablespoons of lemon curd, spreading gently to the edge of the cake. Top with one third of the buttercream (either piped or just spooned on) before placing on the second layer of cake, gently pressing down to secure the layers.
- Spoon on 2 generous tablespoons of raspberry jam, once again, carefully spreading to the edges. Add the third cake layer and top with a final 2 tablespoons of lemon curd. Top with the second third of buttercream, spread to the edges and place on the final cake.
- Using the final third of the buttercream, coat the top of the cake, smoothing the buttercream out using the back of a spoon or palette knife. Top the cake with the fresh raspberries, nicely positioned in the buttercream.
- Finish the cake with a generous grating of lemon zest and a sprinkling of icing sugar if desired.
