Jamie Oliver Lemon Elderflower Cake

This Lemon Elderflower Cake is soft, moist, and full of fresh flavors. The sponge is infused with elderflower and lemon, then topped with a creamy buttercream and a light white chocolate ganache. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or afternoon tea!

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Ingredients Needed:

Cake Ingredients:

• 400 g unsalted butter (room temp)
• 400 g caster sugar
• 400 g self-raising flour
• 8 medium eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100 ml elderflower cordial
• zest of 1 lemon

Elderflower Drizzle:

• 125 g caster sugar
• 150 ml elderflower cordial

Elderflower Buttercream:

• 400 g unsalted butter (room temp)
• 800 g icing sugar
• 100 ml elderflower cordial

Decorations:

• 150 g white chocolate
• 50 ml double cream
• Lemon slices
• Blackberries
• Lemon curd or blackberry jam

How To Make Lemon Elderflower Cake?

1. Prepare the cake batter: Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line three 20 cm cake tins with baking paper. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add flour, eggs, baking powder, and mix until just combined. Stir in elderflower cordial and lemon zest.
2. Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
3. Make the elderflower drizzle: Mix the caster sugar and elderflower cordial together until dissolved. Once the cakes are out of the oven, drizzle the mixture over them while they are still warm. Let them cool in the tins.
4. Prepare the buttercream: Beat butter until smooth. Add icing sugar, one-third at a time, and beat for 5-6 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in elderflower cordial and beat for another 3-4 minutes. If too thick, add a little more cordial.
5. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread buttercream on top, followed by a thin layer of lemon curd or blackberry jam. Repeat with the second layer. Place the final cake layer on top and coat the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then add a second, thicker layer, smoothing it with a scraper.
6. Make the ganache & decorate: Melt white chocolate with double cream. Pour into a piping bag and pipe around the cake edges, letting it drip slightly. Let it set, then decorate with extra buttercream, lemon slices, and blackberries.

Recipe Tips:

• Measure Ingredients Accurately: Use a kitchen scale to measure flour, butter, and sugar exactly. Too much flour can make the cake dry, and too little can make it too soft.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter, eggs, and elderflower cordial should be at room temperature. This helps them mix evenly, making the cake light and fluffy.
• Don’t Skip the Drizzle: Pour the elderflower drizzle over the warm cakes so it soaks in properly. This keeps the sponge moist and gives a stronger elderflower flavor.
• Chill the Cake Before Frosting: Refrigerate the cake layers for at least 30 minutes before decorating. This makes it easier to spread the buttercream without the cake crumbling.
• Test the Ganache Before Dripping: Let the white chocolate ganache cool slightly before piping. If it’s too warm, it will run too fast. If too cold, it won’t drip nicely.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover Lemon Elderflower Cake cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days to keep it fresh.
• Freeze: Wrap each cake slice tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 580 kcal
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 17g
• Cholesterol: 155mg
• Sodium: 120mg
• Potassium: 80mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 80g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 65g
• Protein: 5g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Turkey Breast Recipe
• Jamie Oliver Caramelised Onion and Goat’s Cheese Tart Recipe