Lemon Victoria Sponge

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source: Personal recipe (see below)

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So classic, this is my favourite way to enjoy lemon and cake. The light, fluffly Victoria sponge serves as a perfect vessel for the super rich, tart, lemon curd filling. Balance it out with a layer of cream. Then you can top either with just a dusting of powdered sugar for a classic sponge (above), or if you want to go for super intense lemoniness then make some dribbly icing with lemon juice and powdered sugar, and top with lemon shavings or twists (below). Either way it's delish!

I've provided a stovetop recipe here for the lemon curd filling, that makes a good amount for this cake. I also have an even easier recipe for lemon curd in the instant pot that you can use if you prefer. I usually have some of this lemon curd frozen that I use for cakes.

Recipe

Ingredients

For the cakes:

• 4 large eggs (if possible, duck eggs make the fluffiest sponge)
• 200g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 80g potato flour or cornflour
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the lemon curd (if making on stovetop, for instant pot see here ):

• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1tsp cornflour
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 20g butter
• zest of three small, or two large lemons
• 200ml cream, for whipping

For the lemon icing (optional):

• 1 cup icing sugar
• Juice of around 1/2 lemon
• Plus slivers of lemon zest to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180.
2. Line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper, and grease the sides with butter.
3. Mix together flour, cornflour, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a separate large bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until pale and super fluffy.
5. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula.
6. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins then bake on a lower rung in the oven for 25m or until they're coming away from the sides of the pan, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. When the cakes are done, leave it for two or three minutes then flip them onto a wire rack and leave them to cool completely out of their tins.
8. For the filling, whisk together all the filling ingredients except the butter and lemon zest. Then put this mixture in a pan on a stove and heat it first at medium heat, then reducing the heat to low for around 5 minutes or so until it thickens like a custard. It needs to be a good texture for spreading onto the cake, although bear in mind it'll thicken up more once it cools.
9. Once the lemon curd is also completely cool, you're ready to assemble the cake. First whip some cream, then make the lemon icing (if using) by combining the icing sugar and lemon juice.
10. Place the bigger cake as the base layer, then spread it with a layer of lemon curd, followed by a layer of cream. Top with the second cake, and drizzle the lemon icing all over that then garnish with lemon zest (or just sprinkle with powdered sugar).