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A piece of Lemon and Elderflower Cake on a flowered plate
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Lemon and Elderflower Cake

An easy Lemon and Elderflower Cake - a light, lemon cake with a lemon and elderflower marinade, lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Teatime
Cuisine: British
Servings: 10 slices
Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

Ingredients

For an 18cm (7-inch) cake:

  • 2 lemons, zested
  • 180 g butter
  • 180 g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder (10ml)

For the marinade:

  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial (30ml)

For the filling:

  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon curd

For the frosting:

  • 60 g butter, at room temperature
  • 120 g full-fat cream cheese
  • 350 g icing sugar
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 teaspoon elderflower cordial (5ml)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon curd, rounded teaspoon (10ml)

Equipment

2 x 18cm/7-inch shallow round cake tins
Baking parchment circles
Stand mixer and/or
Hand mixer or
Food processor

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/ gas mark 5/ 375°F
  • Line the tins with paper liners
  • Grease the tins (if needed) with butter paper (or a little butter on kitchen paper)
  • Grate 2 lemons for the zest.

For the cake:

  • Beat all the cake ingredients together thoroughly
    (Butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, lemon zest)
  • Spoon the mixture equally into the tins. Smooth the tops with a palette knife and make a slight dip in the centre
  • Cook for 25-30 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip. Meanwhile, make the marinade (below)
  • Leave the cakes in the tins and marinate the cakes immediately.

For the lemon and elderflower marinade:

  • Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial
  • Prick the top of the cakes with a cocktail stick. Spoon the marinade over and leave the cakes in the tin to cool.

For the filling and cream cheese frosting:

  • Zest the lemon
  • Measure the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and beat together until smooth – but don’t overbeat
  • Take the cooled cakes from the tins and put them on your serving plate. Choose the better of the cakes as the top one
  • If necessary level the tops of the cakes with a sharp knife
    I usually use both cakes the right way up, i.e. with the top facing upwards
  • Spread the lemon curd over the bottom cake and position the other on top. Using a palette knife, smooth the icing over the top and sides of the cake.
    Decorate as you wish.

Notes

Everyday Cooks tips:
  • If the butter is still hard, soften for 1 minute on defrost in the microwave. Repeat if necessary, but don’t let it melt
  • Like most cake recipes this is easiest with a mixer or a food processor. At the least, you can use hand-held beaters
  • Use pre-cut baking parchment circles to line the base of the tins.