Day two of beautiful food. I was going to save this for Saturday, but then I thought some of you might want to bake this cake so I would give you a days heads up to do so, because after all, we are all going to be glued to our TV screens on Saturday for the big wedding! I can't believe that the date is already here and hip hip hooray, it looks like we are in for a lovely sunny day on Saturday! They do say "Happy is the bride the sun shines on!" I don't know who "they" are, but I am well pleased that Meghan and Harry are going to have a sunny day! Yippee! Only one more sleeps for all of us! Can't wait!
It has been tipped that their wedding cake is going to be a Lemon & Elderflower Cake, and that is so fitting as this is the time of year that the elderflowers are in bloom. The flavours of Lemon & Elderflower go together very well.
Elderflower Cordial is a very popular drink over here. Its made from fresh spring elderflowers steeped with sugar and water into a type of syrupy soft drink that you mix with water for consumption. Its very popular with the ladies. When I worked at the Manor, every time there was a luncheon for the ladies, I had to greet the with chilled and iced glasses of elderflower cordial when they arrived. Very popular indeed. They do say that Lychee liqueur is a fair substitute. I can't say for sure.
In any case I have baked a lovely Lemon and Elderflower cake for the royal occasion. It is a double layer cake and flavoured with both lemons and elderflower cordial.
I have decorated it simply, with meant to be . . . elderflower blossom . . . and silver dragees. Todd brought me home some kind of blossom, but its not elderflower, however it looks pretty anyways.
It has a lovely moist crumb, which is also enhanced by brushing the warm cake with an elderflower/lemon sugar syrup when it comes out of the oven.
Even more flavor comes from the filling of lemon curd, which is also whisked together with some cordial.
Very pretty and very delicious indeed. But I have also taken the flowers off and shown you a simpler way of presenting it by simply icing it naked . . .
Piping on little rosettes of buttercream and once again, scattering silver balls over top . . .
I am a huge fan of the naked cake look. We get enough sugar in our diets, so paring down a bit on the frosting on a cake, just seems to make sense. In any cake, I like the way it looks . . .
*Lemon & Elderflower Cake*Makes 1 8-inch layer cake Printable Recipe
A beautiful cake with a lovely moist crumb and wonderful flavours.
For the cake:225g unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 cup +3 1/2 TBS)225g caster sugar (1 cup + 3 TBS fine granulated sugar)4 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten225g plain flour (1 1/2 cups + 2 TBS)2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp saltthe finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon4 TBS elderflower cordial
For the syrup:75ml elderflower cordial (1/3 cup)25ml fresh lemon juice (2 TBS)50g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
For the frosting:225g butter, softened (3/4 cup + 3 1/2 TBS)
390g icing sugar, sifted (3 cups, confectioners, powdered)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 to 2 TBS double cream
You will also need:about 4 TBS lemon curd1 tsp elderflower cordial
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 2 8-inch layer cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Set aside.
Cream the butter with an electric mixer until light. Add the sugar and whisk it in until light and fluffy. whisk the elderflower cordial into the eggs.Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest. Start whisking the flour into the creamed mixture alternating with the eggs, beginning and ending with flour. Mix well together. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, smoothing the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and warm gently over medium low heat, swirling to melt the sugar. Keep warm.
Once the cake is out of the oven, spoon the syrup over each layer a bit at a time, letting it absorb. Place the cake tins on a wire rack and leave the cakes to cool in the pans completely, before removing from the tins.
To make the buttercream beat the butter and sugar together on low until well blended and then continue to beat on mdeium for another few minutes until it begins to become fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and 1 TBS cream, only adding the second one if needed until you have a frosting of spreading consistency.
Whisk together the lemon curd and elderflower cordial.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge. Whisk together the lemon curd and cordial. Spoon into the center of the buttercream border on top of the cake and spread it out. Top with the other cake layer, with the bottom side up. Spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake if you want a naked look, or pile it on if you want a fuller look. Decorate as desired.
However you choose to decorate it, if at all, I am sure of one thing and that is that you will simply adore this cake. Its delicious! Happy wedding eve! I can't wait! (Can you tell???)