Baking: Break-Up Cake

Break-up Cake

Most people claim their "break-up" cake (or comfort food) is a heavy chocolate torte, however I love this lemon curd cake. A fat wedge warmed and accompanied with some low fat natural yogurts and a dollop of lemon curd it is delish!

Ingredients:
250g Butter
3 Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Heaped Teaspoons Lemon Curd
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Water
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1. Preheat oven to 170C.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in an electric mixer.

3. Add eggs one at time to butter mixture, then lemon curd and golden syrup and mix well. 

4. Add flour and baking powder and mix until almost combined, then add water and mix until combined.

5. Pour mixture into a 20cm tin (which is greased and the bottom is baking paper lined).

6. Bake for 40 -50 mins until a cake tester comes out clean. 

Bit on The Side: Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd

I am not a fan of waste. Therefore whenever I make something that just contains egg whites I make either, Lemon Curd, Custard, Creme Brulees or the list goes on. My lemon curd recipe has therefore had to vary for 2 - 3 egg yolks to 5 - 6, therefore my measurements have become quite approximate.  

I use lemon curds in pastry cases to serve as a dessert in itself, in cakes, muffins, icings and on toast. I am sure you will find many uses for it.

Note: Passionfruit curd can be made using passionfruit pulp instead of lemon juice and reducing the sugar to 3/4 cup.

Ingredients:
3 - 4 Eggs Yolks (Depending on size)
100g Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 - 3 Lemons, Juiced

1. Combine butter, sugar and lemon juice in double boiler until sugar is dissolved.

2. Remove from heat allowing to cool slightly before whisking in egg yolks (to ensure you get no scrambled egg through your curd) and returning to heat.

3. When mixture coats the back of a spoon, pour mixture into sterilised jars to store in fridge.

Baking: I Love You Lemon Curd Cupcakes

I Love You Lemon Curd Cupcakes

These were inspired by a trip to Marthas Pantry, which I posted about a few months ago, however never got around to giving you the recipe. They are like little Madeira cakes with a dollop of lemon curd in the centre, and smothered in lemocello cream cheese buttercream frosting.

What I like about this recipe is the ricotta makes the cake quite moist and dense. Delicious!

 

Ingredients
400g Butter
2 Lemon Zested
2 Cups Sugar
6 Eggs
2 Dessertspoons Lemoncello
150g Ricotta (light)
3 1/2 Cup Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Milk

Lemon Curd - I make my own, but you can use good quality store bought Butter Cream Frosting with 1 Tablespoon Lemoncello folded in


1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Cream butter, sugar and zest together with an electric beater. 

3. Add eggs, one at a time and beat after until thick. Fold in lemoncello, milk and ricotta, then flour and baking power. 

4. Spoon into pattycake cases and cook for approximately 15 - 20minutes, until golden brown.

5. Allow to cool and cut down into the top of the cake creating a downward facing circular pyramid shape, which can be pull out of the cake in one piece.

6. Place a dollop of lemon curd into the hole created and place the pyramid shape piece of cake back into place.

7. Ice with butter cream frosting and serve.

For the frosting, I am not very good with measurements (am lazy with them when it comes to icing)... I beat 200g softened butter with approximately 1 1/2 Cups icing sugar. Sometimes a teaspoon of boiling water is required or more icing sugar. In this case I add a good tablespoon of Lemoncello for flavour (you could perhaps add some finely grated lemon rind as well).

Note: that you want enough icing sugar in the frosting that it will set, therefore you don't want it to be extremely soft, but hold some shape when piping it onto the cakes.