Lucious lemon layer cake

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I love a layer cake, to this day I gently prize the two halves apart, just as I did in childhood. Also eating the bottom layer first.

These days I try not to eat too many cakes, though if I want to indulge this one among the winners.

Lemons are zingy and healthy. Maybe I can convince myself that lemon cake is healthy too, alright maybe not but a little bit of what we fancy is meant to be good for us.

• Zingy
• Lemony
• Fresh
• Fluffy
• Delicious
• Moreish

This cake has won over my non- gluten-free and vegan friends and family. They just declare it to be a gorgeous cake, which is just the thing you need to hear. It holds its own against any wheat and dairy lemon cakes.

The sponge is fluffy with fresh lemon zest running through the batter, the frosting sweet and zingy which stops it overwhelming the cake and becoming too rich.

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Notes

1. If you have no apple cider vinegar then white vinegar is fine to use.
2. If you want a more of a mixed citrus cake with works beautifully with a mix of orange and lemon.
3. This one was made using my recipe for a gluten-free flour mix which acts like a 1-1 replacement for Wheat flour, the way the likes of Bob’s Red Mills gluten-free 1-1 flour works.
4. Make sure you sift the flour, this gives your cakes that fluffy texture.

• Preparation Time 15 Minutes
• Cooking Time 30 Minutes
• Serves 10

Luscious Lemon Cake

Ingredients

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Sponge layers

• 315g of Plain flour
• 300g of Caster sugar
• 1.5 Tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 Tsp of salt
• 360ml of Dairy-free milk
• 120ml of Neutral tasting oil such as sunflower or vegetable
• 1 Tbsp of Apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tsp of lemon extract
• Zest of 2 wax-free lemons

Buttercream frosting

• 600g of Sieved icing sugar
• 225g of Dairy-free butter
• 60ml of Lemon juice
• Few drops of vegan yellow food colouring (optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and oil and line two 8 inch cake tins with baking parchment.
2. Next into a large bowl sieve the flour and then add the sugar, bicarb and salt, stir together.
3. Add the oil, lemon extract, milk, vinegar and lemon zest.
4. Whisk lightly with a hand whisk until all of the ingredients are nicely combined and no large lumps remain. Try not to over-mix.
5. Divide equally between the two tins and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and springs back to the touch.
6. Remove from the oven and leave in the baking tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, peeling the baking parchment off. Leave to cool completely before icing. While it cools whisk up the frosting.
7. Using an electric whisk on low cream together the butter and lemon juice until combined. Add the icing sugar slowly and keep beating on low. Adding all the icing sugar at once usually means the kitchen and yourself are engulfed in a sweet cloud, not ideal.
8. Once thoroughly mixed set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Now time to ice your cake. Here is where artistic licence takes over. Sandwich together with the frosting, I also like to add a layer of my vegan lemon curd as well. The rest is up to you. You may not want to add frosting to the top and juice add a dusting of icing sugar. Any leftover frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Other cakes for you to try.

Victoria sponge

Chocolate and hazelnut cupcakes

Orange spiced ginger cake

Chocolate courgette cake

If you make this, don’t forget to tag me on twitter as @veganalchemist1 or my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegfveganalchemist. I love seeing your versions of the recipes. I would love to hear your comments too