I tried this delightful cake at Kim Evan’s Little & Friday Cafe in Newmarket, Auckland. Not long after my friend, Izaak and I brought the book and began experimenting with Kim’s treats. These lemon cakes would have to be my absolute favourite and very popular amongst friends, family and colleagues. This recipe makes 12 mini cakes or 1 double layer cake. I have made these recipe many times in a range of sizes including mini cakes, a large cake and doubling this recipe to make a six layer cake (pictured below).

Ingredients

• 300g unsalted butter, softened
• zest of 2 lemons
• 2 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 7 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 5 cups coconut thread
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Lemon Syrup

• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp lemon zest

To Assemble

• 1 cup Lemon Curd (see recipe here)
• 1 recipe of Cream Cheese Icing (see recipe here)

Method

Preheat oven to 150C. Grease and line your baking tins with baking paper, make sure paper fits properly. You can either use two 6 hole Texas (large) muffin trays or two 23cm cake tins.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, lemon zest and sugar on a medium speed until light and fluffy in colour. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Regularly scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula.

Sift flour and baking powder over butter mixture and mix on low speed. Be careful not to over-mix. Using a spatula, fold through coconut and sour cream.

Divide mixture evenly between prepared cake tins. Bake in centre of oven for 30-35 mins for small cakes or 55 minutes for large cakes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a skewer comes out clean when inserted  into the middle of the cakes.

To make Lemon Syrfup, place ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and boil for 5 minutes or until syrupy. Pour hot syrup over cakes while hot. Let cakes cool completely in their tins on a wire rack before turning out.

If making small cakes, carefully cut them in half horizontally. Spread half a cup of Lemon Curd over bottom layers. Spread a thick layer of Cream Cheese Icing over Lemon Curd. Place second cake layer on top. Spread with rest of Cream Cheese Icing, drizzle with extra Lemon Curd and garnish. The following garnishes work well; dollops of Lemon Curd, blueberries, edible flowers and gold.

Notes: These cakes will keep for about three days. It is best to bake them a day in advance to cool before assembling.

Recipe adapted from Kim Evan’s Treats from Little & Friday.