This cake has it all, soft tender crumb, crisp sweet exterior, the taste of the holidays without any heaviness. This is a take on an earlier Lemon drizzle cake I developed for Sainsburys magazine.
For The Cake
250g unsalted butter, softened
300g caster sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
300g self-raising flour
Zest of 2 clementines (*reserve the fruit for the juice)
For the filling and Topping
100g full fat Cream Cheese
2-3 tbsp Orange curd
200g Softened butter
300g Icing Sugar
For the drizzle
*Juice of 2 Clementines
4 tbsp Granulated sugar
For the Decoration
1 Clementine with leaves
8 fresh cranberries
8 whole Almonds
You will also need 2x8 inch buttered and lined loose bottomed springform sandwich tins.
Preheat the oven to 170c
Cream the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy, this is easiest in a free-standing mixer or by using an electric hand-whisk. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition, if the batter starts to curdle add a little of the flour between each addition of the egg. Sift in the flour and mix to combine. Add the zest, mix again until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and spread level using a palette knife.
Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until well risen and wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. (If the cakes start to colour to quickly cover with foil)
Remove the cakes from oven. Mix the clementine juice with the granulated sugar and slowly pour half over the top of the warm cakes. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then place onto wire racks until totally cold, sugar side up.
For the filling, mix together the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar until soft and fluffy. Spoon into a piping bag or a sandwich bag and snip of the end. Cover the bottom cake with a layer of the orange curd. Now starting on the outside pipe small blobs until the bottom cake is totally covered or alternatively spread on with a palette knife, then sandwich together with the top cake, now pipe rings onto the top cake and use a palette knife to smooth.
To Decorate, in a small pan heat the remaining orange and sugar with a splash of water until smooth and glossy. Use a pastry brush to glaze the clementines,almonds, cranberries and the leaves. Place onto a wire rack and while still wet sprinkle with caster sugar. Leave to dry. Pipe some little dots with the remaining frosting to 'glue' on your decoration.
