Prep 1.5hr (+ Meringue Rosettes prep)Bake 18-20minMakes 8-10 serves

An absolute must-try for any citrus fan, this light-as-air cake is the ultimate balance between light sponge, mouth-puckering lemon curd and beautiful hand-made adornments.
Created by Make Me a Baker student, Cate Tibbertsma for her graduation, this cake is a nostalgic one "that will fill your belly with sweet memories" as Cate says.

Ingredients

125ml (½ cup) thickened cream
125g (½ cup) sour cream
1 tablespoon pure icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon Citrus Dust (see recipe below), plus extra to sprinkle
Meringue Rosettes (get Cate's meringue recipe HERE), to decorate
Oven-dried orange slices (optional), to decorate

Lemon Curd
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
165g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
80g unsalted butter, diced
2 lemons, zest finely grated and juiced

Sponge Layers
Melted butter to grease
4 fresh eggs, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons natural vanilla essence or extract
165g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
30g butter, diced
110g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour
30g (1/4 cup) cornflour

Citrus Syrup
110g (½ cup) caster sugar
60ml (1/4 cup) strained fresh lemon juice
60ml (1/4 cup) strained fresh orange juice

Citrus Toffee Shards
Oil spray
100g caster sugar
2½ tablespoons water
1 tablespoon liquid glucose
½ teaspoon Citrus Dust (see recipe below), to sprinkle

Lemon Curd

1. Combine the whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a small saucepan and stir with a whisk until smooth. Add the butter and the lemon juice and zest.
2. Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir constantly with the whisk until thickened and the mixture reaches 75°C on a sugar thermometer.
3. Strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar or glass container with lid. Refrigerate until required (see Baker’s Tips).

Citrus Toffee Shards

1. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and spray lightly with oil; set aside. Combine the caster sugar, water and the liquid glucose in a small saucepan.  Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring when it starts to boil and brush down the inside of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve any crystals that have formed on the surface. Boil until the syrup turns a dark caramel colour (see Baker's Tips).
2. Immediately pour the caramel over the entire surface of the baking sheet to create a thin layer.  Sprinkle with the Citrus Dust.  Set aside to cool and set. When completely cool, transfer to a sealed airtight container together with the baking paper.

Sponge Layers

1. Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and then preheat it to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush two 18cm springform tins with melted butter to grease and line the base of each with a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Combine butter and milk in a small saucepan and set aside. Combine the Citrus Syrup ingredients in a separate small saucepan and set aside also.
2. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed to whisk the eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the mixture is very thick and pale and the sugar has dissolved (this will take about 8 minutes).  Lift the whisk out of the mixture and slowly draw a figure eight, if the trail stays on the surface long enough for you to finish drawing then the mixture is ready. If not, continue to whisk for a further minute and then test again.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is almost simmering. Remove from the heat.  Pour the hot milk mixture down the side of the bowl and then sift the flour and cornflour together over the egg mixture. Immediately whisk briefly again with the electric mixer on low speed, until the flour mixture is just incorporated (make sure there is no flour caught at the bottom of the bowl and be careful not to over mix).
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins (see Baker's Tips) and gently tap the tins on the bench top three times to settle the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the cakes are a pale golden colour, spring back when lightly touched in the centre and start pulling away from the sides of the tins.

Citrus Syrup

1. About 5 minutes before the Sponge Layers finish baking, place the saucepan with the Citrus Syrup ingredients over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a very gentle simmer to keep warm. 
2. Remove sponges from the oven and immediately use a small palette knife to loosen the top of the sponges from the tins and turn onto a wire rack lined with a tea towel. Remove the baking paper and carefully turn the hot sponges back on their base onto a rack over a tray. Immediately pour hot syrup over the hot sponge layers. Set aside to cool completely before layering.

To Assemble

1. Use an electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment or a balloon whisk to whisk the thickened cream, sour cream and icing sugar together in a medium bowl, until soft peaks form.
2. Place one sponge layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about 1/2 cup of curd over the sponge layer and use a small sieve to sprinkle the Citrus Dust over the curd. Spread about half the cream mixture over the curd layer, spreading gently to avoid over-working the cream.  Top with the remaining sponge layer. Spread another 1/2 cup of curd on top followed by the remaining cream mixture, again spreading gently so you don’t over work it.
3. Decorate with the Meringue Rosettes and Citrus Toffee Shards and sprinkle with extra Citrus Dust. Embellish with oven-dried orange slices, if desired.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours (see Baker's Tips).

ORANGE CITRUS DUST: Preheat oven to 100°C (80°C fan-forced).  Use a vegetable peeler to peel the rind from 1 large orange.  Use a small knife to scrap any excess pith away.  Place on a lined oven tray and bake in oven for 1-2 hours.  Rind is ready when it has dried completely but still retains some of its original colour. Use a mortar and pestle or a small food processor to pound or process the rind to a fine powder that is aromatic and rich in colour.  Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to one month.

Prep 45min (+30min cooling time per batch)Bake 45minMakes 12-14 serves

This pretty cake, with its heavenly orange blossom-scented frosting, is currently one of my favourite 'special occasion' cakes – particularly for birthday celebrations. The cake layers are baked in two batches but if you are lucky enough to have four cake pans that can fit in your oven all at once, feel free to make the mixture in one lot and bake them all together.

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease

Orange poppy seed cake layers
3 oranges
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
125g (½ cup) sour cream
250g butter, cubed, at room temperature
300g (1⅓ cups) caster sugar
4 eggs
350g (2⅓ cups) plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

Candied orange rind
3 oranges
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
250ml (1 cup) water

Orange blossom water buttercream
250g butter, at room temperature
375g (3 cups) icing sugar, sifted
3-4 teaspoons orange blossom water (or to taste)

Method

1. To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two shallow 20cm (base measurement) round cake tins with melted butter and line the bases with rounds of non-stick baking paper.
2. Finely grate the rind from the oranges and set aside. Juice the fruit and measure 125ml (½ cup), reserving the rest for another use. Divide the juice evenly between two medium bowls. Add half the poppy seeds and half the sour cream to each. Set aside.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat 125g of the butter, 150g of the sugar and half the orange rind until pale and creamy. Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Sift together 175g of the flour and 1½ teaspoon of the baking powder. Fold half the flour mixture through the butter mixture until just combined. Fold through one quantity of the poppy seed mixture and then the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
4. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surfaces. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes come out clean. Stand in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire racks, topside down, to cool (this will take about 30 minutes).
5. Repeat with the remaining poppy seed mixture and ingredients to make two more cake layers.
6. Meanwhile, to make the candied orange rind, use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from the oranges in wide strips. Use a small sharp knife to remove any white pith from the rind. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange rind strips and bring to a simmer. Simmer, without stirring, for 10-15 minutes or until the rind is translucent. Use a fork to transfer the rind from the syrup to a wire rack. Set aside. Reserve the syrup.
7. To make the orange blossom water buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, icing sugar and orange blossom water in a medium bowl until very pale and creamy. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
8. To assemble the cake, place a cake layer, topside down, on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread with a little of the buttercream and then top with another layer of cake. Continue to layer with some of the remaining buttercream and cake layers, finishing with a cake layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the outside of the cake so that the cake layers show through. Spread the remaining buttercream on top, swirling as desired. Decorate with the candied orange rind and drizzle with some of the remaining syrup just before serving.

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Citrus.

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Prep 20min (+1hr cooling time)Bake 1hrMakes about 16

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Citrus.

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Prep 40min (+pastry making, 2hr chilling and 30min cooling time)
Bake 35-40minMakes 8-10 serves

Sometimes known as lemon chester pudding, lemon meringue pie is a wonderful combination of short, buttery pastry, a tart custard filling and a sweet, fluffy meringue topping. This recipe won’t disappoint!

Ingredients

1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry, shaped into a disc before wrapping and chilling

Lemon Filling
40g (⅓ cup) cornflour
200ml strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
80ml (⅓ cup) water
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
6 egg yolks
100g butter, diced

Meringue Topping
4 egg whites
A pinch of salt
220g (1 cup) caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
2. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the pastry on a lightly floured bench top to a round about 3 mm thick. Line an ungreased 22 cm diameter (base measurement), 3 cm deep pie plate with the pastry. Use a small sharp knife to trim any excess pastry.
3. Place the pastry case on an oven tray and use a fork to prick the base about 12 times. Line the pastry case with baking paper or foil and fill with pastry weights, dried beans or raw rice, making sure they fill the case. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the pastry case from the oven and use the paper or the foil to lift the weights out of the case. Return the case to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the pastry is just cooked through and looks dry. Set aside to cool.
5. To make the Lemon filling, place the cornflour in a medium saucepan. Use a balloon whisk to gradually stir in the combined lemon juice and water until smooth and well combined. Stir in the sugar, egg yolks and butter. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the butter melts. Continue to stir over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture simmers and thickens. Pour immediately into the pastry shell and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until the filling is set.
6. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan-forced).
7. To make the meringue Meringue topping, use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the motor running, gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is very thick and glossy and all the sugar has dissolved. Use a spatula or large metal spoon to stir the meringue mixture gently to expel any excess air. Spread the meringue mixture over the top of the lemon filling, swirling as desired. Bake in preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until browned on the edges (see Baker’s tips). Stand for 5 minutes before scooping with a large metal spoon or cutting into wedges with a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water (see Baker’s tips).

Baker's Tips

• This pie is best eaten the day it is made.
• You can also use a blowtorch to caramelise the meringue topping instead of returning it to the oven in step 7.
• Dipping the spoon or knife in hot water and drying before scooping or cutting will make it easier.

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Citrus.

CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.