Lemon Elderflower Cake

Recipe by The Honey Blonde

What can I say about this lemon elderflower cake? Other than it didn’t turn out at all like I had expected. But, in the best way possible!

Ingredients

• 2¼ cup all purpose flour (sifted)
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 tbsp lemon zest ( approximately 1-2 lemons )
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp elderflower liquor
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup elderflower liquor
• ¼ cup water
• 1 batches of Swiss meringue buttercream
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• simple syrup
• cake
• Buttercream
• Lemon curd

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (conventional). Line the bottom of two cake pans with parchment paper, spraying the bottoms and sides with baking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the lemon zest, then mix in the eggs one at a time and mix until eggs and butter have emulsified and no longer appear separated. In a small measuring cup, combine milk, lemon juice, and elderflower liquor. Spoon about a third of the flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture and mix until flour is almost completely incorporated. Pour in half of the liquid ingredients and mix until combined. Repeat with half of the remaining flour and the rest of the liquid, mixing the rest of the flour into the batter at the end. Portion the batter between the two cake pans then bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking time will vary depending on the size and depth of the cake. While the cakes bake, make the simple syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved then transfer to another bowl or measuring cup to cool. After cakes have baked, allow them to cool to room temperature before wrapping and placing in the fridge or freezer to chill (about 1-3 hours). While the cakes chill, make the lemon curd. Combine the yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a sauce pan then place over medium heat. Whisk the mixture constantly until it starts to slightly thicken. Then add the butter and continue to whisk until butter is melted. Once the mixture starts to bubble remove from the heat (mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon) and pour through a strainer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature. You will want the curd to still be slightly liquid to pour over the cake, so don't refrigerate right away. Once cakes are chilled, level the cakes using a serrated knife and cut in half forming 4 total layers. Brush the top of each layer generously with the simple syrup so that the tops of the cake are visibly moist. Mix the lemon zest into the buttercream, then spread a layer of buttercream on top of the first layer of cake. Spoon some of the curd on top, then top with another layer of cake. Repeat until you get to the top layer of cake. Then spread buttercream over the top and sides of the cake until the cake is mostly covered. Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to scrape the sides of the cake revealing parts of the cake layers. Leave a thin layer of buttercream on the top of the cake, and flatten with an offset spatula. Let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. With any remaining buttercream, divide a small amount into a bowl and tint yellow. Add to a piping bag fitted with a #2 round tip. Place the rest of the white (uncolored) frosting into another piping bag fitted with a #224 or #107 drop flower tip. On a baking sheet lined with parchment, pipe small drop flowers. Place in the freezer to harden for 5-10 minutes. Remove the cake from the fridge, Spoon the curd on the top of the cake, pushing some over the sides to drizzle down. Remove the flowers from the freezer and place the flowers around the top of the cake. If the start to softened, place back in the freezer. Continue until you are happy with the amount of flowers covering the cake.

View the recipe instructions at The Honey Blonde