Lemon drop chilli loaf cake
SERVES 10-12 PREP 30 mins COOK 40 mins plus cooling EASY V G un-iced
250g butter, plus extra for the tin
400g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 200ml buttermilk or natural yogurt 6 lemons, zested and juiced
400g golden caster sugar
6 large eggs jar lemon curd (around 300g), for the centre For the chilli caramel 4 dried lemon drop chillies 100g golden caster sugar
For the frosting 50g butter, very soft 50g golden icing sugar 100g full-fat soft cheese, any liquid drained 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and flour two 20cm cake tins. Mix the buttermilk with 2 tbsp lemon juice.
2 Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, then add the lemon zest. Gradually add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold the flour into the batter, followed by the buttermilk mixture. Spoon the batter into the cake tins and level the surface, bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to sit for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
3 To make the caramel, put 1 chilli in a jug and add 100ml boiling water. Leave to steep for 10 mins (don’t leave it longer or the chilli flavour will be too strong). Strain into a pan and scatter over the sugar, heat gently until the sugar melts, then boil until you have a light caramel. Take off the heat, quickly dip the remaining whole chillies in, then leave them to set on a piece of baking parchment. Stir the remaining lemon juice (from the cake), except 1 tbsp, into the caramel back on the heat to make a sauce. 4 To make the frosting, beat the butter until it is very soft, beat in the reserved 1 tbsp lemon juice and sugar, then fold in the soft cheese – don’t beat it or the mixture will soften too much. If it’s too soft, chill it for 10 mins.
5 Drizzle a tiny bit of caramel over one cake, add a layer of lemon curd and put the other cake on top. Spread the frosting over the top, drizzle over the chilli caramel, then decorate with the chillies.
PER SERVING (12) 633 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 16g • carbs 87g • sugars 61g • fibre 1g • protein 9g • salt 0.9g