Frosted Courgette Lemon Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Zest 2 lemons, then squeeze their juice into a separate bowl. Put 200g butter, the caster sugar, eggs, courgettes, poppy seeds, vanilla and lemon zest into a mixing bowl. Beat to a creamy batter. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, the flours, baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Spoon the mix into the tins, then bake for 25 mins or until risen, golden and springy in the middle.
• Make a drizzle by mixing another tbsp lemon juice with 25g icing sugar. Put the remaining icing sugar and butter into a bowl, add the soft cheese, remaining lemon juice (about 2 tbsp) and grate in the final lemon's zest. Beat to make a creamy, smooth frosting.
• When the cakes are ready, cool for 15 mins in their tins, then turn onto a cooling rack. Prick several times with a cocktail stick, spoon over the drizzle and cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Put one cake onto a serving plate and spread with just under half the frosting. Spread over the lemon curd, if using. Top with the second cake, spread the remaining frosting over the top and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Steps:

• Start by making the decorations. For the crystallised thyme, put the sugar on a plate, brush the thyme with the egg white, then roll in the sugar. Shake off some of the excess, then leave the sprigs on a piece of baking parchment to dry out completely.
• For the candied lemon slices, tip the sugar into a saucepan with 200ml water. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring the syrup to the boil. Drop in the lemon slices and cook for 15 mins until softened. Carefully remove the slices from the syrup and place on a piece of baking parchment to dry. (Lift them gently as they will be quite delicate, and you want to keep them in rounds if possible.) Keep the remaining syrup for brushing over the cake.
• Heat oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of two 20cm springform cake tins. Make the four sponges in two batches. To make the first batch, in a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric hand whisk, beat 175g butter with 175g sugar and the zest of 1 lemon until creamy. Gently beat three of the eggs together in a jug. Gradually add the egg to the mixture, scraping down the side and whisking well after each addition. In a separate bowl, mix together 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt, and fold this into the cake mixture. Finally, stir in 300g courgette and 1 tbsp thyme leaves. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• While the sponges are still warm, prick all over with a skewer and brush over a little of the reserved lemon syrup. Once cool enough to handle, remove from the tins and place on a wire rack. Make and cook the second batch of cakes using the remaining ingredients - you can use the same baking parchment, just re-grease the parchment and the sides of the tins.
• When the cakes are cool, make the icing. Whisk all the ingredients together with a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy.
• Using a cake turntable, if you have one, sandwich the cakes together with a little of the icing. Using a palette knife, spread a thin layer of icing all around the cake and chill for 30 mins to set. (This layer is known as a 'crumb coat' because it traps any loose crumbs on the surface of the cake - so when you put a second layer of icing on, the cake will be nice and smooth.) If you are short of time, put it in the freezer for 5 mins.
• Once chilled, completely cover the cake in a second layer of icing to achieve a smooth finish. Stick the crystallised thyme and candied lemon slices over one side of the cake and top as if they are cascading.
• Return the cake to the fridge or freezer until the icing has completely set. For extra shimmer, use a thin paintbrush to brush a little of the gold paint across the lemon slices for a burnished, autumnal effect, and dot pieces of gold leaf as you go, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter, a 9 inch springform pan and then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the batter along with the lemon juice.
• Mix only until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Bake about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Place on a wire rack to cool, then gently remove the sides of the pan.
• For the icing, combine the sifted confectioners' sugar with the 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Frost the top of the cake, allowing the icing to drip down the sides.
• Let the icing set before covering.

Steps:

• Cake: Grease bottom, sides and center tube of a 9 or 10-inch fixed bottom tube pan with at least 3 3/4-inch high sides. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper or parchment; grease the paper.
• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowel; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about 2 minutes.
• On low speed, beat in 1 cup oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until blended.
• Blend in flour mixture; when incorporated, mix in sour cream until no white streaks remain.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake on center oven rack until top feels firm and toothpick comes out clean. about 65 minutes.
• Let cake rest in pan for 15 minutes, then run knife around edge of cake and tube in center.
• Invert cake onto wire rack.
• Leave cake bottom side up to cool.
• Frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to beat butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, zest and vanilla until smooth.
• Beat in sugar until frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Frost cake: Cake can be covered and stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Serve cold or at room temperature.

Steps:

• For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In large bowl, combine cake mix, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add eggs, oil, lemon juice, orange juice, and honey.
• Mix on low speed to blend, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
• Stir in zucchini (and walnuts if desired).
• Divided batter between 2 greased and floured round cake pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cakes test done.
• Cool and frost with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.
• TO Make Frosting: In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, butter, lemon extract and vanilla until throughly blended.
• Add powdered sugar slowly, mixing well after each addition, until mixture reaches spreading consistency.
• Stir in pecans.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour a 9 x 9-inch pan.
• Blend all cake ingredients except raisins on low speed for 1/2 minute.
• Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
• Stir in raisins.
• Pour into pan.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until tests done.
• For frosting, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy.
• Frost when cake is fully cooled.
• Keep refrigerated.