Wedding Cake Zingy Lemon Food

LEMON WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottoms of 2 (8-inch) cake pans with cooking spray.
• To make the cake, in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, eggs and lemon zest until thoroughly combined. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make the Frosting, in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and vanilla until creamy. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar and milk until frosting is light and fluffy. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, you may need to add an additional tablespoon or two of milk.
• If desired, drizzle each cake layer with 2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur (see note). Place one cake, flat side up, on a cake platter. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Spoon lemon curd over frosting, making sure that you do not spread it all the way to the edge, or it will ooze out.
• Place second cake layer over first, (again, flat side up) and frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate as desired. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

ZINGY LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease bottom and sides of one 9" round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half the milk, and the vanilla.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon rind and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat dry ingredients with remaining milk and butter at medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add egg mixture 1/3 at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl between additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean from center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the pan, then turn cake out onto a rack until fully cooled. Peel off parchment paper before slicing.

WEDDING CAKE - ZINGY LEMON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan140C/gas 3. Prepare the inside and outside of a 23cm tin, as before. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time. Add a tbsp of the plain flour if it starts to split. Fold in the flours and a pinch of salt, followed by the lemon zest and juice.
• Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 35 mins or until well-risen and golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the syrup by heating the sugar, lemon zest and juice in a small pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
• Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool until it's just warm, then use a skewer to poke holes down to the bottom all over the cake. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition. Leave to cool completely, then either wrap or fill and ice the cake. The unfilled cake will keep well if you wrap it with baking parchment and cling film for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.

ZINGY LEMON LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 190oC ; 375oF ; Gas 5.
• Grease a loaf tin or 8 x 10 inch baking tin.
• Cream butter and 170g (6oz) of sugar in a bowl until soft and fluffy.
• Gradually add the beaten eggs stirring all the time.
• Grate the rind off the lemon very finely or peel with a potato peeler and chop very finely taking care not to include any white pith.
• Mix in the lemon rind and flour.
• Stir in enough milk to make the mixture drop off a spoon with a light shake.
• Spread the mixture evenly in a greased loaf tin.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cake is springy when touched and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• While the cake is cooking place the lemon juice and remaining caster sugar into a small saucepan and heat until warm but not boiling (microwave works too).
• When the cake has cooked pierce all over with a skewer or fork and spoon the lemon syrup over the top.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin.

WEDDING CAKE - RICH DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter, double-line and wrap the sides of the 30cm deep-round cake tin as before. Put the butter and chocolate into a medium saucepan, then stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the coffee and vanilla.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the biggest bowl you have. Add the sugar, breaking down any lumps with your fingertips if necessary. Beat the eggs and soured cream together in a jug or bowl and pour into the flour mix. Pour in the melted chocolate mix as well, then stir with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, even chocolaty batter.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2½ hrs - don't open the oven door before 2 hrs is up, as this will cause the cake to sink. Once cooked, leave in the tin to cool completely. The unfilled cake will keep for up to four days, wrapped as before, or frozen for a month.