Lemon & poppy seed buttermilk cake
A true afternoon tea classic – the buttermilk gives the cake extra body and moisture.
Hands-on time: 25min, plus cooling Cooking time: 40min Cuts into 8 slices
150g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
175g granulated sugar 3 large eggs Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons 1tsp vanilla extract 125g buttermilk 1tbsp poppy seeds 250g plain flour 2tsp baking powder
FOR THE ICING
150g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
75g unsalted butter, softened 2tbsp lemon curd 350g icing sugar, sifted Crystallised rose petals, optional
1 Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan)/ mark 4. Lightly grease and line a 20.5cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together using a handheld electric whisk until pale and fluffy, about 3min. Gradually beat in the eggs, mixing constantly, followed by the lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, buttermilk and poppy seeds.
2 Sift over the flour and baking powder, then fold together with a large metal spoon. Empty mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5min in the tin, then take out of tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
3 Once the cake has cooled, peel off the paper and split in half horizontally. To make the icing, in a food processor whizz together the cream cheese, softened butter and lemon curd until smooth (alternatively whisk together by hand). Add the icing sugar and whizz again to combine. Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with crystallised rose petals, if you like.