Citrus Layer Cake

Name: Citrus Layer Cake
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 225g softened unsalted butter, plus more for the tins; 225g self-raising flour; 200g caster sugar; 4 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 tablespoons full-fat natural yogurt; 2 tablespoons finely grated unwaxed orange zest; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 80g icing sugar; 350g full-fat cream cheese; 4 tablespoons full-fat yogurt; 1 tablespoon orange juice; 2 tablespoons lemon juice finely grated orange and unwaxed lemon zest, to serve

preparation 20 minutes
cook time 25 minutes
Serves 8

If you're looking for a orange cake recipe, then look no further! Natural yoghurt in the batter gives the cake a lovely soft crumb, which really complements the citrus

Recipe taken from Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from the Eastern Mediterranean by Yasmin Khan (Bloomsbury, £26)

Ingredients Method

For the cake:
225g softened unsalted butter, plus more for the tins
225g self-raising flour
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons full-fat natural yogurt
2 tablespoons finely grated unwaxed orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
For the frosting:
80g icing sugar
350g full-fat cream cheese
4 tablespoons full-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice finely grated orange and unwaxed lemon zest, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.

Place all the ingredients for the cake together in a large bowl and beat for a couple of minutes until just blended.

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared tins. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

To make the frosting, mix together the icing sugar, cream cheese, yogurt, orange and lemon juices and whisk until smooth. Place this in the refrigerator to chill and firm up while the cake cools.

When the cake is completely cool, use a palette knife to spread half the frosting on one cake. Place the other on top and ice with the rest of the frosting. Finish by decorating with a scattering of orange and lemon zests.

Ingredients

For the cake:

225g softened unsalted butter, plus more for the tins

225g self-raising flour

200g caster sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons full-fat natural yogurt

2 tablespoons finely grated unwaxed orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

For the frosting:

80g icing sugar

350g full-fat cream cheese

4 tablespoons full-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice finely grated orange and unwaxed lemon zest, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.

Place all the ingredients for the cake together in a large bowl and beat for a couple of minutes until just blended.

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared tins. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

To make the frosting, mix together the icing sugar, cream cheese, yogurt, orange and lemon juices and whisk until smooth. Place this in the refrigerator to chill and firm up while the cake cools.