Lemon Cake Recipe
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus cooling time
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 10
Ingredients Needed
For Cake
- 270g/9.5oz cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 150ml/5floz milk
- 110ml/3.9floz lemon juice
- A few drops yellow colouring (optional)
- 300g/10.6oz caster or superfine sugar
- 180g/6oz butter, very soft but not melted
- 60ml/2floz avocado or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
- 4 eggs, room temperature
For Buttercream Frosting
- 200g/7oz butter, softened
- 450g/1lb icing sugar mixture
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- A few drops yellow food colouring
To Decorate
- 20 fresh blueberries
- 1 lemon, sliced into half moons
- 6 tiny basil leaves
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 PREP - Preheat oven to 140C/284F fan forced or 160C/320F conventional (yes low!). Line the base and sides of 2x20cm/8inch round cake tins.
Step 2 BEAT - Sift the cake flour (270g/9.5oz cake flour), baking powder (3 teaspoons baking powder) and salt (1/2 teaspoon salt) together into a bowl and set aside. Mix the milk (150ml/5floz milk), lemon juice (110ml/3.9floz lemon juice) and yellow colouring (a few drops, optional) together to create "buttermilk". Place the sugar (300g/10.6oz caster or superfine sugar), butter (180g/6oz butter), oil (60ml/2floz avocado or canola oil) and lemon zest (2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest) into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a beater attachment and beat for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 3 FOLD - On medium high speed, add the eggs (4 eggs), 1 at a time ensuring that they are well mixed in before adding the next. It should look like a fluffy buttercream and should not curdle. Fold in the flour mixture in 2 lots, alternating with the buttermilk. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly between the two tins. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the centre springs back when pressed. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cover with foil or a metal plate to "steam" the cake and trap the moisture in. Cool in the tin.
Step 4 BUTTERCREAM - Add softened butter (200g/7oz butter) to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 2 minutes until pale, scraping down the sides halfway through. Sift in the icing sugar mixture (450g/1lb icing sugar mixture) and set the mixer to the lowest speed. Add the milk (2-4 tablespoons milk), vanilla (1 tablespoon vanilla) and colouring (a few drops yellow food colouring) in. When the sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium high speed for 2 minutes. Divide buttercream into 2 piping bags.
Step 5 DECORATE - Using a knife loosen the cakes and place one cake (I usually use the thickest cake) on a serving stand. Pipe the buttercream in a circular motion and then smooth over with an angled spatula. Place the other cake on top and pipe remaining buttercream in the same fashion. Add lemon slices (1 lemon), blueberries (20 fresh blueberries) and basil leaves (6 tiny basil leaves) on top.
Storage tip: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze the uniced cakes, wrapped in parchment and then foil, for up to 2-3 months.
Substitution notes:
This recipe also works well with other citrus fruit like oranges, grapefruit and limes.
You can find more cakes, puddings and sweet treats in my dessert recipes.
Personal Note
I was kindly gifted a bag of Meyer lemons from our neighbour Nicki whose father (who lives across their back fence) has a Meyer lemon tree that produces picture perfect lemons. I wanted to make something that would befit these photogenic, highly precious specimens and with those 15 lemons I tested this cake over and over again.
Meyer lemons are very difficult to buy in Australia and they are sweeter and more fragrant than other varieties like Eureka or Lisbon. They also have a nice supple, smooth skin and a thin pith so there's very little wastage with a Meyer lemon.
I have never seen these in shops, they're usually a gift from someone who has a tree. Truly, it is my wish to one day have a tree (alas you can't grow them from the seeds, it's a bit more complex than my nonexistent gardening skills).
So tell me Dear Reader, if you could grow one tree, what would it be?