Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Easy Lemon and Blueberry Layer Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
25 minutes
25 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
Serves:
1 cake (10–12 slices)
An easier take on Saku's Lemon and Blueberry Vertical Layer Cake from Great British Bake Off ™ Series 14. The rolled sheet sponge and gravity-defying spiral become three straightforward round layers, the cooked-from-scratch blueberry reduction becomes a spoonful of good blueberry jam, and the parent...
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Ingredients
FOR THE LEMON SPONGE:
300g (1 1/3 cups) unsalted butter, softened
300g (1 1/2 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
300g (2 1/3 cups) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk, if needed
FOR THE LEMON CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING:
175g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
600g (5 cups) icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
400g (1 2/3 cups) full-fat cream cheese, cold and well-drained
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Pinch of fine salt
2–3 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
FOR THE FILLING AND TO FINISH:
150g (1/2 cup) good-quality blueberry jam or conserve, divided
A handful of fresh blueberries
A curl of lemon zest
EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins
Method
STEP 1: PREP TINS AND OVEN
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas 4). Grease and line the bases of three 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with parchment paper.
STEP 2: MAKE THE LEMON SPONGE BATTER
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes; an electric whisk or stand mixer makes quick work of it. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture looks like splitting. Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in gently along with the lemon zest and vanilla. Loosen with a tablespoon or two of milk to a soft dropping consistency.
STEP 3: BAKE THE LAYERS
Divide the batter evenly between the three tins and level the tops. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until risen, golden and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The layers must be fully cold before frosting.
STEP 4: MAKE THE LEMON CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING
Beat the softened butter until smooth, then beat in the sifted icing sugar in additions. Add the cold, well-drained cream cheese and beat only until just combined — do not overwork or it will slacken. Fold through the lemon zest, a pinch of salt and enough lemon juice to keep it genuinely sharp against the sweet blueberry.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BLUEBERRY FILLING
Spoon about one-third of the frosting into a separate bowl and ripple through all but 1 tablespoon of the blueberry jam, leaving visible purple streaks. Keep the remaining plain lemon frosting for coating.
STEP 6: FILL AND STACK
Set the first sponge on a plate or board and spread with half the blueberry filling. Add the second sponge and the rest of the blueberry filling, then top with the third sponge, pressing gently so the layers sit level.
STEP 7: CRUMB COAT AND CHILL
Spread a thin layer of the plain lemon frosting all over the cake to trap the crumbs, then chill for 15 minutes to firm up.
STEP 8: COAT AND FINISH
Spread the remaining lemon frosting smoothly over the top and sides. Warm the reserved tablespoon of blueberry jam slightly and swirl it across the top for a marbled finish, then scatter over a few fresh blueberries and a curl of lemon zest. Slice with a clean, dry knife to reveal the lemon sponge and blueberry-streaked layers.
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Instructions
FOR THE LEMON SPONGE:
300g (1 1/3 cups) unsalted butter, softened
300g (1 1/2 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
300g (2 1/3 cups) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk, if needed
FOR THE LEMON CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING:
175g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
600g (5 cups) icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
400g (1 2/3 cups) full-fat cream cheese, cold and well-drained
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Pinch of fine salt
2–3 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
FOR THE FILLING AND TO FINISH:
150g (1/2 cup) good-quality blueberry jam or conserve, divided
A handful of fresh blueberries
A curl of lemon zest
EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins
Parchment paper
Electric whisk or stand mixer
Wire cooling rack
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: PREP TINS AND OVEN
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas 4). Grease and line the bases of three 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with parchment paper.
STEP 2: MAKE THE LEMON SPONGE BATTER
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes; an electric whisk or stand mixer makes quick work of it. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture looks like splitting. Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in gently along with the lemon zest and vanilla. Loosen with a tablespoon or two of milk to a soft dropping consistency.
STEP 3: BAKE THE LAYERS
Divide the batter evenly between the three tins and level the tops. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until risen, golden and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The layers must be fully cold before frosting.
STEP 4: MAKE THE LEMON CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING
Beat the softened butter until smooth, then beat in the sifted icing sugar in additions. Add the cold, well-drained cream cheese and beat only until just combined — do not overwork or it will slacken. Fold through the lemon zest, a pinch of salt and enough lemon juice to keep it genuinely sharp against the sweet blueberry.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BLUEBERRY FILLING
Spoon about one-third of the frosting into a separate bowl and ripple through all but 1 tablespoon of the blueberry jam, leaving visible purple streaks. Keep the remaining plain lemon frosting for coating.
STEP 6: FILL AND STACK
Set the first sponge on a plate or board and spread with half the blueberry filling. Add the second sponge and the rest of the blueberry filling, then top with the third sponge, pressing gently so the layers sit level.
STEP 7: CRUMB COAT AND CHILL
Spread a thin layer of the plain lemon frosting all over the cake to trap the crumbs, then chill for 15 minutes to firm up.
STEP 8: COAT AND FINISH
Spread the remaining lemon frosting smoothly over the top and sides. Warm the reserved tablespoon of blueberry jam slightly and swirl it across the top for a marbled finish, then scatter over a few fresh blueberries and a curl of lemon zest. Slice with a clean, dry knife to reveal the lemon sponge and blueberry-streaked layers.
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