Lemon and blackcurrant cake

A delicious and original lemon cake with blackcurrants. It’s assembled slightly differently from a traditional layer cake, creating vertical stripes of sponge separated by fruit buttercream. At first glance, it may look rather time-consuming, but it really isn’t – you can have everything done within 2 hours, after which the cake simply needs to chill :). The fantastic blackcurrant buttercream adds a refreshing tang and a beautiful pinkish colour. Because it’s a buttercream, it’s particularly easy to work with and will also hold up better on the table during the summer months. The cake is not large, measuring just 15 cm in diameter, but it is an impressive 12 cm tall. Definitely worth trying!

Ingredients for the sponge:

• 8 large eggs
• 160 g caster sugar
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 80 g plain flour
• a pinch of salt

Additionally:

• icing sugar, for dusting

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Grease a large, shallow baking tray measuring 40 x 32 cm with butter and line it with baking paper.

Place the whole eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the sugar and salt. Whisk on the highest speed until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy and has increased in volume up to threefold. With a stand mixer, this should take 7–10 minutes; with a hand mixer, 10–15 minutes. When the whisk is lifted, the mixture should fall back in a light ribbon and remain visible on the surface for several seconds. Add the lemon juice and zest and whisk briefly to combine. Sift the flour directly into the egg mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula or balloon whisk, just until combined.

Pour the sponge batter into the prepared tray and smooth the surface with a spatula.

Bake at 190°C for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Do not extend the baking time, as the sponge may dry out and become difficult to roll without cracking. Remove the baked sponge from the oven and immediately turn it out, paper-side up, onto a linen kitchen towel generously dusted with icing sugar. Carefully peel off the baking paper, then roll the sponge up like a Swiss roll, starting from the shorter side and rolling it together with the towel. Leave to cool completely in this rolled-up shape.

Ingredients for the blackcurrant purée:

• 300 g fresh or frozen blackcurrants
• 60 g sugar

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking until the fruit comes to a boil and starts to break down. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve to remove the skins. You should have 150 g of blackcurrant purée (there will be a little extra): 100 g for the buttercream and 50 g for the topping.

Ingredients for the blackcurrant buttercream:

• 85 g golden syrup (or corn syrup)
• 120 g caster sugar
• seeds from ½ vanilla pod
• 4 large egg yolks
• 300 g butter, cut into small cubes
• 100 g blackcurrant purée from the recipe above

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until pale. Place the golden syrup, sugar and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan. Stir, bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat (do not stir while cooking) until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup begins to form small bubbles, followed by larger bubbles. The sugar syrup is then ready. Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks in a thin stream while continuing to whisk. Continue whisking the egg yolks and syrup for 10 minutes, or until the mixing bowl has cooled completely and no longer feels warm to the touch.

Begin adding the butter, one cube at a time, beating until fully incorporated before adding the next. Do not add the butter too quickly, or the buttercream may become too runny. Once all the butter has been incorporated, add the blackcurrant purée and beat until combined.

Additionally:

• blackcurrants, for decorating

Assembly:

Set aside 240 g of the blackcurrant buttercream for the filling (3 × 80 g).

Unroll the cooled sponge. Cut it into 3 strips parallel to the longer side, each approximately 11 x 40 cm. Spread 80 g of the blackcurrant buttercream evenly over each strip. Roll up the first strip with the buttercream to form a Swiss roll. Place the rolled section against the next strip and continue rolling. Repeat with the third strip of sponge.

Place the cake on a cake stand. Spread the remaining blackcurrant buttercream over the top and sides and smooth the surface. Refrigerate until chilled. Pour the remaining blackcurrant purée over the chilled cake and decorate with fresh blackcurrants.

Store the lemon and blackcurrant cake in the refrigerator. Remove it approximately 30 minutes before serving to allow the buttercream to soften.

Enjoy!

 

 

Recipe source: Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, with my own adaptations.