Sunshine Lemon Cake with Creamy Curd Icing

Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Butter and flour two 8×2-inch cake pans and tap out the extra flour so it’s not too thick.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp lemon zest.
4. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy.
5. Lower the speed and add 2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks, one at a time, mixing after each.
6. Add 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
7. Then alternate adding the flour mixture and 1 cup buttermilk, starting and ending with flour.
8. Mix until just combined; don’t overdo it, or it’ll get tough.
9. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
10. Bake for 30–34 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd Cream Icing

1. Whip 1 tub of fresh cream until stiff peaks form.
2. In another bowl, mix 100g cream cheese and 100g lemon curd until smooth.
3. Add 100g icing sugar and mix well.
4. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
5. Spread half on one cake layer, top with the second layer, then cover the top and sides with the rest.
6. Sprinkle with some fresh lemon zest.

Candied Lemon Slices

1. Simmer 2 thinly sliced lemons in 2 cups of water for 45 minutes over low-medium heat until tender, then drain.
2. In a small pan, stir 1 cup caster sugar with 1/4 cup water over medium heat until dissolved.
3. Add the lemons and simmer for 15 minutes until they look translucent.
4. Decorate the cake with them.