Recipes

Lemon and Strawberry Cake

Follow the recipe to learn how to make the perfect lemon and strawberry cake

INGREDIENTS

Sponge

4 Large Free-range Eggs
350g Caster Sugar
400g Melted Margarine/Baking Spread
400g Self-Raising Flour
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
250g Unsalted Butter
200g Icing Sugar
600g Full Fat Cream Cheese
Pinch on Salt
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extrac

Strawberry Filling
200g Fresh Strawberries, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Sugar
Juice of half a Lemon
Tablespoon of Water

Simple Syrup With Lemon
80g Sugar
100ml Water
Juice of half a Lemon

To decorate
Sliced Fresh Strawberries
Lemon Zest

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METHOD

Preheat oven to 160c Fan
Generously grease and line 3 x 8inch baking tins
Begin by making the sponge, add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl and combine using a whisk. Pour in the cooled melted margarine and whisk further
Sift the flour into the mixture and mix well until a smooth batter is formed
Add sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract to the batter and mix until incorporated
Equally divide the batter across the 3 baking tins and bake for 30mins or until a skewer inserted into the sponges comes out clean. Once baked, set the sponges aside to cool
Whilst the sponges are baking, prepare the filings

8. To make the strawberry filling, add all ingredients to a small saucepan and place over a medium high heat. Allow this to cook for about 5-8mins, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Once cooked and reduced, transfer into a bowl to cool

9. To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium high speed until pale and fluffy.

10. Add the cream cheese and salt and mix for 2-3mins until combined. Flavour with vanilla and continue to mix by hand using a spatula until incorporated. Refrigerate until needed

11. To make the simple syrup, add the sugar and water into a small saucepan and place over a medium high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer the syrup to a bowl, squeeze in the lemon juice, stir and set aside until needed

12. To assemble, begin my soaking the sponges with the syrup. Place once sponge on a serving plate or cake stand

13. Fill a large piping bag with a large round nozzle with cream cheese frosting.

14. Pipe a border of the cream cheese frosting around the perimeter of the first layer of sponge, then fill the centre with a couple of spoons of the strawberry filling. Cover with another layer of sponge.

15. Repeat step 13 for the next layer

16. Decorate the top of your cake as you wish using the cream cheese frosting and slices of fresh strawberries.

17. Finish the cake with a sprinkling of lemon zest.

18. Enjoy!

Recipe & image credit: @maxythebaker in collaboration with Smeg and Mason Cash