Zesty Celebration Cake

Are you ready to put a spring in your step? If nothing will, then I can guarantee you this will! A fabulous Sicilian lemon genoise sponge, with lemon curd and cream filling, topped off with a zesty orange buttercream in an array of colours of your choice! Originating from the city of Genoa in Italy, the genoise sponge is commonly associated with Italian and French cuisine, and differs from other sponges because air is suspended in the batter to boost the volume. I must say, it is among the best sponges I've created, and produces a fantastic product. This is definitely something for this Easter weekend, if you want to be fresh and original, or for other celebrations as we head out into the warmer months of the year. Zesty heaven!

Total time for process : 2.5 hrs (however may take less as the buttercream stage is quite messy and time-consuming).

Ingredients

For the sponge

- 250g plain flour
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 8 medium eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 60g melted butter (unsalted)
- zest x2 sicilian lemons, plus juice x1
- 250g lemon curd (shop-bought)
- 250g whipping cream

For the buttercream 

- 500g butter (unsalted)
- 600g icing sugar (keep extra in-case to get the preferred consistency)
- juice x2 oranges
- x3 food colourings of your choice

Tools

- x2 20cm by 20cm baking tins
- brown baking paper
- x1 plastic spatula for stirring
- x1 metal spatula for shaping the buttercream
- x2 mixing bowls
- x3 cereal bowls
- x1 electric whisk
- x3 nozzles and x3 piping bags (nozzles can be of your choice for creativity)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170c (fan) / gas mark 5. Rub 10g of your butter in and around the x2 baking tins and line with brown baking paper. I always find this method proves the easiest in getting the baked sponge out of the tins with no hassle.

2. Put the sugar and the eggs into your first bowl and begin to whisk with your electric whisk non-stop for approx 5-7 minutes - the mixture will have become very pale and should have tripled in volume. Melt your final 50g butter in the microwave (or in a small pan over some heat) and add to the mixture and fold in with your plastic spatula.

3. Slowly and carefully add your flour, 50g at a time, into the mixture and finish with your pinch salt, and continue to fold this in until all completely mixed. Folding all this together will continue to allow the air to get into the overall sponge so you have that fantastic volume and consistency. Pour the mixture evenly between the two baking tins and cook for approx 25-30 mins until golden brown and risen - insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, and if it comes away clean, you know it is ready. Remove both sponges onto a wire rack and let cool.

4. While your sponge is cooling, prepare your buttercream. Cut your butter up into small cubes and melt slightly, either in microwave or over the heat. Pop this into your now cleaned mixing bowl, and with your also now-cleaned plastic spatula, adding 50g approx of icing sugar at a time, add all of it in and mix until the consistency is mayonnaise-like. Taste it to see if the sugary taste is to your preference, add more if you need to. Finally add the orange juice and mix well.

5. Separate the buttercream mixutre into 4 - 3 parts go into 3 cereal bowls and add the food colouring of your choice - with it being Easter, I would suggest yellow, pink and blue, however you can be as creative as you like. You could even add a fourth colour if you so wish! Once coloured, pop in the fridge. With your electric whisk, whisk your whipping cream in the second mixing bowl until it become quite stiff and forms soft peaks when you pull your whisk out.

6. Make sure your sponge is completely cooled before the next stage; if there is still any heat, it will ruin the finished look! Assemble your cake - choose your base to set the cake upon, and add the bottom layer in place; and with your spatula, spread the lemon curd evenly and neatly over the bottom sponge. Once completed, spread the whipped cream on top of it and also make sure it is neat and even. Add your second sponge on top of this.

7. The final stage is the messiest (and most fun) and this is adding the now coloured buttercream. Firstly add your uncoloured buttercream and spread over the whole sponge, so as to completely conceal it. Use your metal spatula to complete this so it looks neat. With your coloured buttercream divided into three piping bags, pipe the desired decoration over the cake. At this point, let your creative juices flow, but still don't lose focus and remember presentation is still key.

Once completed, cover and leave to chill in the fridge. If kept in an airtight container, the sponge will last for approx 1 week.

Bon appetit!