LEMON AND FLORA LAYER CAKE

INGREDIENTS Sponge:

75g cornflour 75g plain flour 75g self-raising flour 6 x 60g eggs, at room temperature

225g caster sugar

Filling:

500g cream cheese, softened 100g unsalted butter, softened 200g freshly whipped cream 200g icing sugar, sifted 300g Anathoth Farm Lemon Curd, plus extra to serve

Decoration:

Food-grade flowers

METHOD

1. Grease three 20cm round layer cake tins and line bases with baking paper. Sift flours and 1/4 teaspoon salt together three times to aerate.

2. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed for nine minutes, or until mixture is thick, pale and tripled in volume.

3. Gradually sift flour mixture over egg mixture while simultaneously folding in with a large metal spoon until just combined. Divide mixture between prepared tins. To level batter, gently spin tins on kitchen counter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cakes have shrunk away from the sides slightly and spring back when gently touched. Turn out on to baking paper-lined wire racks. Carefully peel away baking paper, then leave to cool.

4. To make the lemon cheesecake filling, use an electric mixer to whip cream cheese, butter, icing sugar for two minutes. Add in lemon curd and beat for another three minutes until pale and fluffy (be careful to not over beat, or the mixture will go runny). Fold in whipped cream until combined. Put cheesecake into a piping bag with a wide, plain nozzle tip.

5. To assemble, place down the first layer of cake on to a plate or cake stand. Pipe little dollops all the way around the top of the layer, and spoon some lemon curd around the top. Carefully place the second layer on top and repeat the piping / lemon curd process. Finally, place the third layer on top, repeat the piping process, and decorate with flowers.