Bake it your way: Lemon and blackberry layer cake

By JO PRATT

Published: 19:01 EST, 5 March 2022 | Updated: 19:01 EST, 5 March 2022

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Whether it’s a celebration or just an afternoon treat, this is perfect. Unlike standard butter-based sponges, it is made with oil which gives a lovely moistness and makes it last a few days.

SERVES 12

PREP 45 minutes

COOKING 25 minutes

FOR THE SPONGE

200g caster sugar

3 eggs

200g self-raising flour

225g sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

150ml milk

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

½ tsp fine sea salt

FOR THE COMPOTE

200g blackberries, fresh or frozen (defrosted if frozen)

50g caster sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp arrowroot powder

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

225g butter, softened

375g icing sugar, sifted

2 tbsp milk

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Brush two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins with oil and line with parchment.
To make the sponge, place the sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl then whisk until they are light in colour and frothy. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir until combined then pour evenly between the two cake tins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the sponge is just coming away from the edge of the tins. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then run a palette knife around the inside edge of the tins. Carefully turn the cakes out on to a rack to cool completely.
To make the compote, put the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over a low–medium heat for 10 minutes or until the blackberries have broken down. Push through a sieve then return to a clean saucepan. Mix the arrowroot with 1 tsp water to form a paste. Stir into the purée and cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time until just simmering. Set aside to cool – it will thicken slightly as it cools.
Place the ingredients for the buttercream in a large bowl or the bowl of an stand mixer. Set your mixer (or electric beaters) to a low speed and gradually increase it until you have a smooth, creamy buttercream.
To assemble, place one cake upside down and spread it with some buttercream. Turn the other cake upside down and spread a generous layer of blackberry compote then sandwich them together. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on the top and sides of the cake, smoothing the edges with a palette knife (for a super-smooth finish, dip the knife into hot water before you spread the buttercream). Finish by swirling some compote through the buttercream on the top of the cake.

BE FLEXIBLE

GLUTEN-FREE Swap the flour for a gluten-free flour blend and add an additional 50ml milk to the cake batter.

DAIRY-FREE Use a non-dairy milk in the cake such as soya, almond or my favourite, fresh coconut milk. For the lemon buttercream, swap butter for a plant-based alternative (preferably a firm, not spreadable, one).