Lemon, raspberry and rose cake

A collaboration with The Horse

Golden sponges fragrant with lemon zest and tender with ground almonds, layered with a rose and raspberry whipped cream, a sweet & tangy raspberry compote, dressed up in pink with a raspberry and white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. A celebration of bright flavours, now that Spring is here. A recipe created for The Horse for a beautiful treat to make for Mother’s Day.

I recommend making the sponges and the raspberry compote the day before building the cake, to allow everything to cool completely before using. This also helps to break up the workload.

For the sponge
milk 70ml
lemon zest from 1 & 1/2 medium lemons
lemon juice 35ml
eggs 4, large
caster sugar 230g
vanilla extract 1 tsp
plain flour 190g
ground almonds 60g
baking powder 1 tsp
baking soda 1/2 tsp
sea salt a pinch
butter 120g
oil 70ml, a flavourless oil like rapeseed

For the raspberry compote
raspberries 250g, fresh or frozen
caster sugar 65g
lemon juice 15ml

For the raspberry & rose whipped cream
double cream 320ml
rose water 1/2 tsp
vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
raspberries compote 4 tsp

For the raspberry and white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream
egg whites 170g, from approx. 4 large eggs
caster sugar 200g
butter 330g, very soft
white chocolate 70g
raspberry compote 40g
sea salt a generous pinch

To finish
edible or non-toxic flower petals optional, for decoration


To make the sponge
Preheat the oven to 170C fan. Grease and line 2x 8” cake tins.

Add the milk to a jug along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
milk 70ml, lemon zest from 1 & 1/2 medium lemons, lemon juice 35ml

To the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fitted, add the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is thick and ‘ribboning’, about 4-5 minutes.
eggs 4, large, caster sugar 230g, vanilla extract 1 tsp

To a seperate bowl, add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together until fully combined.
plain flour 190g, ground almonds 60g, baking powder 1 tsp, baking soda 1/2 tsp, sea salt a pinch

Melt the butter then add the oil and mix together. Add this to the milk/lemon mixture and use a small whisk or a fork to mix well.
butter 120g, oil 70ml

Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl and gently fold it through until fully combined. Pour in the butter/milk mixture and fold in until fully combined, then pour the mixture evenly between the two prepared cake tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and risen and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If making the sponges the day before, wrap the sponges individually in tin foil once fully cooled and store at room temperature.

To make the raspberry compote
To a medium-sized pot, add the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice and mix. Set over medium heat, allowing the mixture to come to a simmer, then allow to cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before transferring to the fridge to cool completely, in a sealed container or bowl covered with cling film until ready to use.
raspberries 250g, fresh or frozen, caster sugar 65g, lemon juice 15ml

To make the raspberry & rose whipped cream
To a large bowl, add the double cream, rose water and vanilla and whisk until beginning to show signs of thickening. Add the raspberry compote and continue to whisk to stiff peaks.
double cream 320ml, rose water 1/2 tsp, vanilla extract 1/2 tsp, raspberries compote 4 tsp

To build the cake (1/2)
Place one of the sponges onto the centre of a serving plate and spoon half of the whipped cream onto the sponge. Using a palette knife of back of a tablespoon, smooth the cream out, keeping it 2cm away from the edge of the cake, while creating a cavity in the middle for the raspberry compote to go in, and an edge around the sides to stop the compote from leaking. Spoon the compote into the cavity and carefully spread it evenly, within the edge you’ve created with the cream. Spoon the remaining cream on top, ensuring you cover the compote completely. Place the other sponge on top and press it gently to secure it in place. Place the cake into the fridge while to prepare the Swiss meringue buttercream.

To make the raspberry and white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and sugar and whisk well. Set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and allow to heat while whisking often. Once the mixture reaches 70C on a food thermometer, remove it from the heat and place it onto the standmixer with the whisk attachment fitted. Whisk on medium-high speed until white, increased in volume and holding stiff peaks, 7-9 minutes.
egg whites 170g, from approx. 4 large eggs, caster sugar 200g

Swap the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and with speed on low-medium, add the butter 1 tbsp at a time. Once all of the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth and creamy, 7-9 minutes.
butter 330g, very soft

Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl then add the raspberry compote and mix the two together until well combined. Pour the mixture into the buttercream, along with the salt, and mix on medium speed until fully combined.
white chocolate 70g, raspberry compote 40g, sea salt a generous pinch

To build the cake (2/2)
Remove the cake from the fridge. If you have piping bags*, place about 1/3 of the buttercream into the bag and cut a hole 2-3cm wide at the tip. Pipe the buttercream around the middle of the cake, to prevent the whipped cream from coming out, then pipe the remaining buttercream on the sides and top of the cake. Use a palette knife to smooth the buttercream into a thin layer all over the cake, scraping off any excess, to produce a crumb coat. Place into the fridge for 40 minutes to set.
*If you don’t have piping bags, you can simply spoon 1/3 of the buttercream on top of the cake and smooth it over and onto the sides, scraping off any excess.

After 40 minutes, remove the cake from the fridge and apply the remaining buttercream to the top of the cake, reserving 1-2 tablespoons**. Repeat the process of using a palette knife the smooth the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. Place the reserved 1-2 tablespoons of buttercream on top of the cake, just off centre. Use a palette knife to smooth the dollop in a circular motion to create a small circle (**this is optional–just a decorative touch!) Finish to cake by placing a few petals on top, if using.
edible or non-toxic flower petals optional, for decoration

The cake keeps well for up to 3 days, covered and stored in the fridge. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving to allow the buttercream to soften.