Lemon Elderflower Celebration Cake Food

LEMON & ELDERFLOWER CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. In a jug, whisk the eggs, yogurt and milk. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk. When you have a light and fluffy mixture, add the flour, the liquid in the jug and the lemon zest. Mix again until smooth. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, level the surfaces and bake for 40 mins.
• Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial. When the cakes are cooked, poke all over the surface with a cocktail stick then spoon the lemon and elderflower syrup over the cakes. Leave to cool in the tins. Once cool, you can wrap in cling film and keep for 3 days before icing.
• To make the icing, beat the butter until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Add half the icing sugar, use a spatula to mash the mixture together (this will help to prevent an icing sugar cloud) then whisk again. Add the remaining icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest, mash again, then whisk again until smooth.
• Stack the cakes on a cake stand with plenty of icing between each layer. Pile most of the remaining icing on top, then use a palette knife to spread it across the top and down the sides, covering the cake in swirls (don't worry about it looking too perfect). Add the final bit of icing to the top and use it to cover any patches where the cake is poking through. Decorate with fresh flowers.

ELDERFLOWER LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Gently shake elderflower umbels to remove any insects. Remove as much of the green stems as possible. The best way to do this is to strip them off the stems with your fingers into a bowl.n
• Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved in the warm liquid. Add elderflowers, turn off the heat, and let steep for 1 to 2 hours.n
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over a saucepan with simmering water. Squeeze the elderflowers to extract as much of the liquid as possible.n
• Add eggs to the double boiler and cook over simmering water, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes. Make sure to scrape over the bottom and the sides of the double boiler.n
• Once mixture is thick, remove from the heat. If it seems a bit lumpy, strain it through a fine sieve again. Add butter and stir until fully dissolved. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate or freeze.n

EASY LEMON-ELDERFLOWER WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (8- or 9-inch) cake layers, blending dry pudding mix into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool cakes 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. (Note: If tops of cake layers are domed in centers, use serrated knife to cut off domed tops to make even layers.)
• Brush each cake layer with 1/4 cup elderflower syrup. Mix lemon curd with remaining elderflower syrup until blended.
• Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on plate; spread with lemon curd mixture. Top with remaining cake layer.
• Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Spread onto top and side of cake.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.