Raspberry & Lemon Spring / Easter Cake

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 300 g caster sugar
• 350 g butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons almond essence
• 6 medium eggs, beaten
• 150 g ground almonds
• 300 g self raising flour
• 4 lemons, zest of, grated (optional)
• 150 g icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 300 ml double cream
• 150 g lemon curd
• 200 raspberries
• 300 g royal icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• yellow food coloring
• mini chocolate egg (optional)
• fresh edible flower (optional)
• raspberries (optional)
• strawberry (optional)
• rose petal (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 180c/350°f grease & flour two 20cm / 8" cake tins.
• 2 beat the sugar, butter & almond extract until pale & fluffy. gradually the egg, then fold in the ground almonds, flour, lemon zest & juice.
• 3 spoon into the tins, smooth the top & bakes for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
• 4 make a drizzle by mixing the icing sugar& lemon juice together. when the cake comes out of the oven, turn out onto a cooling rack set over a plate. prick the cakes all over with a skewer & drizzle the syrup over. set aside to cool/.
• 5 whip the cream & fold in the lemon curd. set one cake on a plate, level the top if necessary & spoon the filling over the top. sprinkle with the raspeberries & set the other cake on the top. set aside.
• 6 to make the icing, mix the lemon juice & icing sugar to make a spoonable thick paste. use a few drops of colouring to get a nice pastel yellow colour & spoon evenly all over the top of the cake & round the sides. run a pallet knife round the sides to neaten them up & make sure the icing is evenly distributed.
• 7 top with your choice of decorations - chocolate mini eggs, fresh fruit, flowers etc.