Lemon & elderflower bundt cake

Ingredients

For the sponge cake

• 300g butter
• 275g golden caster sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
• 5 medium eggs at room temperature
• 250g self-raising flour
• 75g ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the elderflower fondant topping

• 280g fondant icing sugar
• 40g elderflower cordial
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sugared almonds
• Fresh edible flowers

For the lemon curd cream

• 300g extra thick cream
• 200g good quality lemon curd

Equipment

• Bundt tin
• Pastry brush
• Stand mixer, hand whisk or bowl and wooden spoon
• Piping bag (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 190C and prepare your bundt tin by brushing the inside with melted butter, dusting with additional flour and shaking out the excess (or you can use cake release spray if you have that).

Cream the butter, sugar, zest and vanilla together in a stand mixer or by hand until very pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs gently one by one until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, lightly mix the almonds, flour and baking powder to distribute evenly, then gently mix into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t over-mix or your sponge may be tough.

Spoon into the tin, level off and bake for approximately 35-45 mins until cooked through. Use a skewer to check it is fully cooked in the centre. Leave in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out and leave to cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, mix your fondant sugar, elderflower cordial and lemon juice until smooth and lump free. You might need a little extra water depending on the amount of lemon juice yielded. You need a dripping (but not runny) consistency so it can flow nicely over the cake.

Use a piping bag if you want to be very precise with how the icing falls over the cake, or use a spoon if you prefer a more rustic finish. Decorate by dotting around the flowers and sugared almonds.

For the lemon curd cream, simply add the ingredients to a large bowl and gently swirl together to marble the curd through the cream. Serve a little dollop alongside each slice of cake.

Images: Kim Lightbody