Lemon Layer Cake

Lemon layer cake for mum's birthday. Easy, delicious and not too sweet, just the way she likes it. The lemon flavour wasn't as strong as I had anticipated, so I recommend adding more lemon rind to the cake if your after a stronger lemony hit. This cake tastes best the next day, served at room temperature. The iced cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Lemon Layer Cake

Lemon butter cake recipe by Margaret Fulton  in Margaret Fulton Baking which can be purchased here.

Lemon icing recipe by Julie Goodwin as seen in Our Family Table which can be purchased here.

Lemon butter cake

160g unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar

Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups (250g) self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup of milk

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 160 if you have a fan-forced oven.

Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and gradually beat in the sugar with the rind until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs beating well after each.

Add the lemon juice and beat until it is just mixed in. Don't worry if the mixture appears curdled.

Sift the flour and salt and fold into the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Take care not to over beat the mixture.

Add a little more milk if necessary so that the mixture drops easily from the spoon.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and gently smooth the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Lemon butter icing

125g unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (300g) icing sugar mixture

11/2 Tbs lemon juice

Using electric beaters, beat the butter until light and creamy.

Gradually add the icing sugar, beating constantly.

Add half the lemon juice and beat until well combined.

Add the remaining lemon juice a little at a time until you achieve a spreadable consistency.

When the butter cakes have cooled to room temperature the cakes are ready to be iced. assembled and decorated.

Enjoy!

not so spooky cupcakes...

Though Australians don't really celebrate Halloween, I hope someday we will. Wouldn't it be awesome to have a choice of these to decorate Halloween inspired baked goods. Instead our supermarket chains have chocolate chips, hundreds and thousands and sprinkles- oh and more hundreds and thousands.

I do however think change is in the air. On a quick dash to the shops today I noticed that the shelves of the candy aisle were empty. People were purchasing candy! We even had little monsters come knocking and people were decorating their gates! (Yes gates, not houses...maybe next year)

These cupcakes were made for a presentation night at my sister's school. I admit they aren't very spooktacular but they're our little contribution to the Haloween spirit and to the refreshments table tonight.

Let's hope next years festivities are even greater!

Chocolate Cupcakes and Frosting
From the Hummingbird bakery cookbook ~ makes 26 mini cupcakes

Cupcakes:

100g plain/ all purpose flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g soft unsalted butter
120mL whole milk
1 egg (room temperature)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 24 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a large bowl and beat on slow speed until well combined and a sandy consistency.
Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla in a jug and add half to the dry mixture.
Beat on a slow speed to combine and then increase the speed to remove any lumps.
Add the remaining half of the liquid mixture and beat slowly until just combined, don't over mix.
Transfer the mixture into the paper cases until 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes until they spring back to the touch. A skewer inserted should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before frosting.

Vanilla Frosting:

125g icing sugar, sifted
40g unsalted butter, room temperature
10mL whole milk
A dash of vanilla extract
Orange food colouring

Beat the icing sugar and butter until combined using an electric mixer on medium speed.
Add the milk, vanilla and colouring and beat on slow speed until the mixture is combined and smooth.

For the chocolate frosting I omitted the orange colouring and added 1 tablespoon of cocoa and as much milk as was required for the mixture to combine and form a smooth consistency.

 Wishing you all a happy Halloween!