Pretty Lemon Garden Cake

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) butter or margarine, softened
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 200g (7oz) self raising flour
• 1 - 2 tsp Dr. Oetker Natural Lemon Extract
• 6 tbsp lemon curd
• 350g (12oz) Dr. Oetker White Ready to Roll Icing
• Dr. Oetker Ready to Roll Coloured Icing

To decorate

• Dr. Oetker Chocolate Beans and Sugar Flowers
• Assorted tubes Dr. Oetker Writing Icing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/ 375ºF/ Gas Mark 5. Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin.
2. Place the butter or margarine in a bowl with the sugar and beat until light and creamy.
3. Whisk in the eggs along with 75g (3oz) flour. Sieve in the remaining flour and add Natural Lemon Extract to taste; carefully fold into the mixture using a metal spoon.
4. Transfer the mixture to the cake tin, smooth the top and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. Once the cake is cold, slice in half through the middle and spread one half with lemon curd. Sandwich the cake together.
6. Roll out the white Ready to Roll Icing thinly on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar into a round, diameter of approx. 28cm (11 inch), to fit over the whole cake. Carefully transfer the icing and smooth over the cake. Trim edge of icing to neaten, and transfer the cake to a plate or board.
7. Roll out the green Ready to Roll Coloured Icing thinly as above in a thin strip approx. 64cm (27 inch) long, 5cm (2 inch) wide - you may find it easier to roll out 2 shorter strips. From one side only, cut out an uneven zig-zag edge to resemble a grass-like border and secure to the bottom edge of the cake using a little water. Keep any trimmings, re-roll and cut out leaf shapes.
8. Roll out the white Ready to Roll icing as above and cut out a flower shape of approx. 10cm (4 ¼ inch). Affix to the centre of the cake using a little water.
9. Roll out the yellow Ready to Roll Coloured Icing as above and cut out 2.5cm flower (1 inch) shapes. Secure the leaves and flowers on top of the cake using a little water, leaving space in the centre for your message. Press a Chocolate Bean in the centre of each flower, and secure Sugar Flowers round the edge using Writing Icing.
10. Decorate the cake with Writing Icing and pipe your message in the centre.

Serves: 8-10