Iced lemon curd layer cake

If you like lemons you’ll love this layer cake from Delia Smith.
A light lemon sponge, sandwiched together with home made lemon curd and topped with a lemon flavoured icing …….lemon heaven!

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
175 g butter at room temperature
175 g sugar
grated zest 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
175 g self-raising flour, sifted
1 level teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs, beaten
lemon curd:
grated zest and juice 1 large juicy lemon
75 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
50 g unsalted butter
icing:
zest 1 large lemon
50 g sifted icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat – ideally with an electric hand whisk – till you have a smooth, creamy consistency.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake them on the centre shelf of the oven for about 35 minutes or until the centers feel springy when lightly touched with a little finger.

While the cakes are cooking, make the lemon curd.

Place the sugar and grated lemon zest in a bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the eggs, then pour this over the sugar.

Add the butter cut into little pieces, and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently till thickened – about 20 minutes.

When the cakes are cooked, remove them from the oven and leave for about 30 seconds turn them out on to a wire rack to cool.

When they are absolutely cold – and not before – carefully cut each one horizontally into two using a sharp serrated knife and spread the curd thickly to sandwich the sponges together.

Make the icing by sifting the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually stirring in the lemon juice until you have a soft, runny consistency.

Allow the icing to stand for 5 minutes before spreading it on top of the cake with a knife, almost to the edges.

Scatter the lemon zest over the top and leave it for half an hour for the icing to firm up before serving.