St Clements Sponge

Orange and Lemon Sponge 
with Home-made Lemon Curd

Ingredients

6 oz Self-raising flour
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz soft margarine
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Pre-heat the oven to 190C / 375F / gas 5

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a  large mixing bowl, add the rest of the sponge ingredients and whisk with a hand-held electric mixer until the mixture is pale and light.  Line the base of two 7" sponge tins with greaseproof paper, divide the mixture between them and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and the sponge springs back when pressed.

Leave the sponges in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

For the icing

Put 5 tbsp icing sugar in a bowl, add the juice of a lemon and one or two drops of yellow food colouring to make a lemon coloured icing.  The icing should be the consistency of double cream but can be too thin or thick depending on the size of the lemon and how juicy it is.  If the mixture is too stiff add a teaspoon of hot water.  If it is too loose add more icing sugar 1 tbsp at a time.

Sandwich the sponges together with a generous helping of lemon curd (I have used home-made but shop bought works very well)  Pour the icing to the middle of the sponge and gently push to the edges with a spatula, let the icing drip down the sides.  Decorate the top with some orange and lemon zest.

Tips:  For a creamier filling fold in 2 tbsp of double cream whipped to soft peaks to the lemon curd.


         If you like a stronger lemon flavour add the zest of two lemons to the sponge mixture.