Spring Blossom

There are lots of trees covered in blossom round my neighbourhood, so I decided to send some blossom inside on this cake. Some midweek sweetness for the local hospice - a Lemon Drizzle Cake tweaked slightly by giving it a Raspberry Butter Cream Frosting. I love the combo of lemon & raspberry flavours - do you?

Eastbourne Lemon Drizzle Cake

115gm unsalted butter, softened
115gm caster sugar
4 free-range eggs
180gm ground almonds
30gm poppy seeds
zest & juice of 2 lemons
125gm self-raising flour, sifted

Lemon Syrup
100gm caster sugar
90gm lemon juice

Lemon Icing
225gm icing sugar
zest & juice of 1 lemon

• Preheat the oven to 180'C. Grease & line the bottom and sides of a 20cm springform cake tin.
• Beat the butter with the caster sugar until light and creamy.
• Add the eggs one by one, beating each in well.
• Fold in the ground almonds, poppy seeds, lemon zest and juice, and the sifted flour.
• Bake for 40min or until lightly golden.
• Make the lemon syrup by heating the sugar and lemon juice in a pan until sugar has dissolved.
• While cake is still warm, make lots of little holes in the top and pour your syrup over.
• For the icing, sift icing sugar into a bowl, add lemon juice and zest, stirring until smooth.
• When the cake is cool, poor the icing on the middle and let it drizzle down the sides.

Option: Make your favourite buttercream recipe and add some raspberry flavouring or freeze dried raspberry powder, spread over the cooled cake.

I made the blossom flowers out of pre-coloured fondant icing, & because I didn't have any pink dusting powder, 

I mixed a little freeze dried raspberry powder with water to paint the centres of the flowers.