Elderflower and Lemon Cake

Heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan) mark 3. Grease and line the base and sides of two deep 20.5cm (8in) round cake tins.

Put the butter and caster sugar in a very large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5min (alternatively use a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment).

Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the zest and flour, then 50ml (2fl oz) lemon juice until evenly mixed.

Divide the mixture equally between the cake tins and bake for 40-50min, until risen, golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Poke the top of the sponges all over with the skewer. Stir together the cordial, prosecco and 1tbsp lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly spoon half the cordial mixture over one sponge so it soaks in, then repeat with the remaining cordial and sponge. Leave to cool completely.

Remove the cooled sponges from their tins, peel off the parchment and level off any rounded tops, if necessary. Halve the sponges horizontally with a large serrated knife.

To make the icing, put the egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently, until the sugar has dissolved completely (dip in a clean finger and rub the mixture between your fingertips – it should feel smooth with no grains of sugar left) and you can see steam rising from the egg whites. Remove the bowl from the heat, then whisk with an electric handwhisk for 8-10min until stiff and glossy. Whisk in the elderflower cordial 1tbsp at a time.

In a very large bowl, beat the butter and 1tbsp lemon curd with an electric handwhisk until very soft. Whisk a spoonful of the meringue mixture into the butter mixture until combined, then keep whisking spoonfuls of the meringue into the butter mixture until all of it is incorporated.

Weigh 450g (1lb) of the icing into a separate bowl to sandwich the layers. Cover the larger amount of icing (to be used for the outside of the cake) and set aside. Use a little of the weighed-out icing to stick a sponge layer in the centre of a 23cm (9in) cake board. Spread a third of the weighed-out icing on top of the cake to make an even layer. Spread 2tbsp of the curd on top of the icing. Repeat the layering with two more of the sponge layers, the remaining weighed-out icing and lemon curd, then finish with the last layer of sponge on top (you should have no more of the weighed out icing left). Try to make sure the sponges are stacked on top of each other as straight as possible.

Spread a thin layer of the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake using a palette knife, to seal in any crumbs. Chill the cake for at least 30min to set.

Spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides of the cake evenly (see GH Tip). Chill again for another 30min. Dot little pieces of gold leaf all around the sides of the cake using a dry paintbrush or clean fingers. Top cake with the flowers, and some macarons, meringues and sprinkles, if you like.

Tightly wrap a ribbon around the side of the board and use pins to secure in place. Serve.

GH Tip

To ice the cake as neatly as possible, set the cake precisely in the middle of the cake board, and put the board precisely in the middle of a cake turntable. Spread some icing on the top of the cake using a palette knife, spinning the turntable and holding the palette knife still, to help you get a smooth even layer. Roughly spread the icing on the sides so there’s approximately the same amount all the way around. Hold a palette knife or a side scraper on the side of the cake so it’s exactly vertical (side scrapers usually are right-angled, so sit one side on the board to achieve this). Keep it in the same position whilst you rotate the turntable, so it just scrapes the sides of the icing and smooths off any rough edges, making the sides perfectly straight. Use the small palette knife to neaten up the top edge.

To prepare ahead

Make and soak the sponges up to two days ahead, leaving them in the tins. Wrap the whole tins in clingfilm and store at room temperature. Use a small palette knife to carefully loosen the sides and bottom of the parchment from the tin, as they may stick a little.

The buttercream can be made up to one day ahead, then weigh the icing, as described in step 8, into two airtight containers and chill. Remove the icing from the fridge two hours before you plan to decorate, to allow icing to come to room temperature so it’s soft and spreadable (or use a microwave on the defrost setting for 30sec bursts, stirring the mixture each time, until spreadable).

The cake can be iced up and gold leaf applied up to a day ahead. Once iced, the cake is best kept covered in a large airtight container and chilled. Decorate with flowers and trimmings the day it will be served, and allow the cake to come up to room temperature before serving.

To store

Leftover cake will keep in an airtight container, chilled for up to 2 days (remove and flower decoration before doing so). Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.