Lemon Cake for Sara's Birthday ..

Rehearsals have started for my next play 'Rutherford and Son' with Northern Broadsides theatre company and being directed by Sir Jonathan Miller. Second week of rehearsals and it's Sara Poyzer's (who is playing Janet) birthday ... Just the excuse I needed to make a cake !!
Lemon was requested and I was thrilled... my favourite !!

250g soft butter
250g caster sugar
3 large eggs
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
lemon extract
250g self raising flour
2 tblsps milk

for buttercream fillling

150g soft butter
300g icing sugar
2 tblsps milk
zest 1 lemon  
juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 jar good quality lemon curd


for topping

icing sugar
enough lemon juice for dropping and spreading consistancy

Preheat oven to 180 o C

Cream together the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and lemon zest.
Add the lemon juice (don't worry if it curdles, just add a little of the flour)
Then fold in the remaining flour and the milk.
Divide between two greased and lined sandwich tins ...

And bake for 20 to 25 mins until the sponge springs back when touched gently.

Allow to cool completely.

For the buttercream

Beat the butter till very soft and slowly, bit by bit, mix in the icing sugar.
Then add the lemon zest and juice and the milk.

Split the two sponges and fill with butter cream and lemon curd.
Then sandwich them together with the remaining buttercream.

Make up the icing for the top and spread on.
Decorate as required ....

This was for Sara !!! never !!

And here is Sara in rehearsals with her cake ..

And sliced up ....

A lemony afternoon treat ......