Lemon and Raspberry Layer Sponge Cake

Fri, 7 April 2017

With Easter just around the corner and the kids off school for the next 2 weeks what better way to get them busy then by baking in the kitchen!  

Ingredients

360g self raising flour
360g caster sugar
360g room temperature butter
6 eggs
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 punnet fresh raspberries
Raspberry jam for filling

Buttercream
800g icing sugar
400g soft butter
Vanilla extract
Food colouring (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 175C

Grease and line 3 x 8" sandwich tins

In a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer and bowl, mix the flour, sugar, butter and eggs at medium speed until well combined. Add the lemon zest and mix through. Gently fold the raspberries into the mix by hand.

Divide the mix between the three tins and bake for approximately 25 minutes until well risen and browned.

When slightly cooled, remove from the tins to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream, place the icing sugar, room temperature butter and a drop of vanilla extract into the mixer and starting at a low speed mix until combined and then slowly increase the speed and whip for 4-5 mins to create a soft creamy buttercream. Add colouring if required and mix well.

To assemble the cake, trim the top of the layers if necessary. Place the first layer on your serving plate and spread on an even layer of jam followed by a layer of buttercream. Top with the next sponge layer and repeat. Once the cake is filled lightly coat the outside of the sponge with a thin layer of icing (crumbcoating) to seal in any loose crumbs. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle with the rest of the icing and pipe swirls all over the cake.