Use a tart variety of lemon to give this cake a good citrus flavour. Elderflower cordial has a distinctive flavour which I really enjoy, but you could substitute with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
This recipe comes from Kathy's new cookbook Meat & Three, RRP$49.99 from booksellers nationwide and at kathypaterson.co.nz
Cake
| 350 g | Caster sugar |
| 2 | Free-range eggs |
| 250 g | Natural unsweetened yoghurt (Main) |
| 200 ml | Sunflower oil |
| 3 | Lemons, finely grated zest only (Main) |
| 250 g | Self raising flour |
Lemon syrup
| 4 Tbsp | Caster sugar |
| 4 Tbsp | Lemon juice (Main) |
Mascarpone elderflower icing
| 250 g | Mascarpone, at room temperature (Main) |
| 125 g | Cream cheese, choose a traditional type, softened (Main) |
| 50 g | Icing sugar, sifted |
| 2 Tbsp | Elderflower cordial (Main) |
| 1 | Lemon, finely grated zest only for garnish |
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Directions
- Heat the oven to 180C. Line a 22cm or 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
- Place the caster sugar, eggs, yoghurt, oil and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until just combined. Sift in the self-raising flour, then mix until just combined. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and place in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven.
- For the lemon syrup, in a small bowl, mix together the caster sugar and lemon juice until the sugar dissolves. Spoon the syrup over the hot cake and leave to cool in the tin.
- For the icing, place the mascarpone, cream cheese and icing sugar in a bowl and mix gently using a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. Add the elderflower cordial and gently stir through.
- To serve, remove the cooled cake from its tin and place on a serving plate. Spread the mascarpone icing over the top of the cake, or alternatively get a little creative and pipe rosettes of icing on top. Finish by finely grating the zest of the lemon over the iced cake.
