Lemon Drizzle Birthday Cake

After quite a meat filled couple of days we decided to cook a huge vegetarian chilli con carne for friends who were coming to watch the England Euro 2012 game (which turned out to be the country's last in this competition) and for dessert a lemon drizzle cake for the boyfriends birthday.

I used a recipe my nan has always used which I think may be from a very old Mary Berry cookbook, with the addition of making it in to two cakes and layering with lemon curd and fresh whipped cream in the middle. The recipe makes enough for two 23cm cakes, just half the ingredients if you want one single layer cake or 12 cupcakes. 

Lemon Drizzle Cake


Ingredients

For the cakes:
• 12oz self raising flour
• 8oz soft margarine
• 8oz sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tbsp milk
• 2 lemons - rind grated

For the filling:
• Lemon curd
• 200ml Fresh whipping cream

For the topping:
• 4oz sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/160 degrees Celsius. Line and grease 2x 23cm springform cake tins.
• Combine all the ingredients for the cakes and whisk, add a little extra milk if the mixture is stiff.
• Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Check after the time and if springy to the touch or a skewer comes out clean remove from the oven, if not give another 5-10 minutes. When cooked remove from the oven and tins and leave to cool on a cooling rack.
• Whip the cream until stiff.
• When the cakes are cooked, spread the bottom one with a think layer of lemon curd, then with the whipped cream and top with the other cake.
• Mix together the sugar and lemon juice for the topping, make little holes using a skewer or a knife in the top of the cake and pour over the lemon and sugar mixture.
• Eat immediately, but if you can't it is best kept in the fridge if it is hot due to the cream melting.

NB: If making cupcakes, half the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked and cooled cut a circle out of the top of each cake, fill the cake with a little lemon curd and whipped cream and place the cut out section of cake back on top like a top hat.