Description

This just might be the easiest cake ever. Just toss everything into a food processor, then pour into pans and bake. It’s soft, full of lemon flavor and sandwiches a sweet mascarpone cream.

Ingredients

Units Scale

8 oz / 225 g (2 sticks / 1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz / 225 g (1 cup) caster or fine sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
7 oz / 200 g (1 cup) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder (omit if mixing by hand)
3-4 tablespoons milk
Icing sugar / confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Lemon Mascarpone Cream

8 oz (225 g) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
4-5 tablespoons lemon curd (store-bought or homemade), to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 355°F / 180°C. Line with baking paper and butter two 7-inch sandwich cake pans.
Put all the cake ingredients except the milk into a food processor and process until you have a smooth batter. Pulse in the milk gradually until the mixture reaches a soft dropping consistency. (If mixing by hand: cream the butter and sugar first, then beat in the other ingredients, omitting the baking powder.)
Pour the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes, until a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the lemon mascarpone cream: beat the mascarpone until smooth, then whisk in the lemon curd to taste. The cream should be thick and spreadable.
Spread the mascarpone cream thickly over one cake layer and sandwich the two layers together.
Just before serving, dust the top with icing sugar.

Notes

This is a one-bowl cake with equal quantities of butter, sugar, and flour — easy to remember. The lemon curd amount is flexible; start with 4 tablespoons and taste, then add more if you want a brighter lemon flavor. Top the finished cake with fresh strawberries or blueberries if you like.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Baking, Cake, Dessert