Lemon Almond Cake

This recipe remake was inspired by TasteMade.

Ingredients - For the Cake

  • 275g (91/2oz) Zeal unsalted butter

  • 275g (91/2oz) golden caster sugar

  • 5 large eggs, beaten

  • 275g (91/2oz) self-raising flour

  • 2tsp baking powder

  • 50g (2oz) ground almonds

  • finely grated zest 2 lemons

Ingredients - For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 125g (41/2oz) softened Zeal unsalted butter

  • 350g (12oz) Philadelphia full-fat cream cheese

  • 250g (9oz) icing sugar, sifted

  • finely grated zest 1 lemon

  • 1tbsp lemon juice

  • Toasted almonds

  • 175g (6oz) almonds, toasted

For the Candied Lemons:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

  • 2-3 lemons sliced to 1/8-inch thickness

How to Make it - The Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Line two 8” cake tins with baking paper. Set aside.

  • Add the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and continue mixing until all the eggs are in the bowl. Scrape down the bowl using a spatula and add the flour, baking powder, vanilla and ground almonds. Fold in using the spatula.

  • Pour the batter into the cake tins. Use a spatula to flatten out the batter. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  • Dip a pastry brush into the lemon syrup and brush both cakes with the syrup. Set aside.

  • Toasted almonds

  • To toast the almonds, preheat your oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

How to Make it - The Frosting

  • Add the butter and cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and beat on low speed until well combined. Whip on high speed until creamy.

  • Add the icing sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and whip on low speed to begin with, then on high speed until light and fluffy. Add about ¼ of the frosting bag fitted with a Wilton 6B piping tip.

  • Add your first cake layer on your serving plate.

  • Add ¼ of the frosting on top and spread around using a small offset spatula. Add the second cake on top.

  • Add frosting on top of the cake and spread around the top and sides of the cake.

  • Add the toasted almonds on the side of the cake. Pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cake and add the candied lemons on top.

For the Candied Lemons

  • In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer (med-low) and add lemon slices in a single layer.

  • Simmer over medium-low (uncovered) for 15 minutes, gently flipping once or twice during the cooking process.

  • Transfer the lemon slices to a wire cooling rack or waxed paper and let cool. Pour the syrup into a bowl and allow to cool.

Zeal Creamery