Lemon Curd Sponge Cake

Once you master the basics of a classic Victoria Sponge, the world is your oyster limited only by your daring and imagination. By swapping strawberry preserve for lemon curd and adding some mascarpone and fresh lemon juice and zest to the cream, the result is a fresh, citrusy cake. Our decoration with lemon zest went a little overboard as there was an enthusiastic child involved – just a few slithers will suffice!

To make the cake

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170˚C for fan assisted ovens / Gas Mark 3.
2. Grease and line 2 x 20cm springform cake tins with baking parchment, using a circle cut for the base and a long strip cut for the edge ensuring a minimum of 5cm additional height above the tin edge.
3. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand-held mixer until creamed.
4. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl to check their quality and then add to the butter.
5. Add a tbsp of the flour to the mixture and mix until combined.
6. Sift the flour into the mixture and, using a long-handled metal spoon, stir in a figure of eight to add air to the mixture.
7. Spoon equal amounts into each cake tin and smooth to the edges with a spatula.
8. Bake in the oven for up to 30 minutes. The sponge is ready when the top is springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean from the centre.
9. Remove from the tins and place onto a cooling rack to cool.

To finish the cake 

1. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and whisk until it forms very soft peaks.
2. Stir in the mascarpone, 2 tbsp of icing sugar and the juice and zest from quarter of a lemon.
3. Spoon the lemon curd onto the flat side of the base cake and gently spread until evenly coated, ensuring it is pushed fully to the edge.
4. Use a piping bag, pipe the cream over the base in rosettes, working in a circular pattern from the edge to the centre.
5. Carefully place the top cake onto the cream and dust with icing sugar.

Decorate with a few curls of lemon zest