Lemon, Elderflower and White Chocolate Cake

Is learning to appreciate flowers a sign of becoming an adult? For me I feel like it is. It’s not that I didn’t like them before; but they just didn’t interest me. I’d much rather have been handed a big box of chocolates over a bunch of flowers that I’d most likely forget about.

I think my love for florals stemmed (sorry) from my growing love for baking. There’s not much more beautiful than a cake adorned with fresh flowers. My favourite part of wedding-cake-baking is actually setting up at the venue and decorating the cake with an array of florals - even better when they’re edible!

I’m now that person who stops and takes pictures of lovely looking flowers in public. In fact, my camera roll is currently clogged up with photos I recently took at a tulip festival - yes, such an event exists and it was a excellent day!

It’s no surprise then that this time of year is my absolute favourite. I felt a small buzz of excitement when I saw hedgerows were starting to fill with pretty elderflower buds. I’m planning on making some cordial this year, but I couldn’t wait to get ahead and share this recipe with you in the meantime.

I’m an elderflower cordial aficionado - I’ve tried and tested many (including one from Ikea, which isn’t bad) but Belvoir is by far the best. Their cordial is thick and syrupy, which means a little goes a long way. Their cordial was perfect for this recipe.

This cake is light, allowing the syrup to soak through the sponges after baking, which really enhances the elderflower flavour. I used a white chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream to ice the cake. There are a few steps to the recipe for this buttercream, but it's not overly complicated to make and the results are totally worth it. When you’re mixing the butter in, the buttercream can sometimes start to split but don’t panic - keep mixing and it will all come together eventually. 

Finally, I decorated the top of the cake with freshly picked flowers - just make sure to properly shake of any bugs that might be lurking before using. I also dried some lemon slices and added these to the decoration for an extra pop of colour. You can find out how to make these here.

Side note: I didn’t know this, but you can also pick elderflower for Belvoir. If you live close by to the locations listed on their website, then you can drop the fruits (or should I say flowers) of your labour and even make £2.10 per kilo. Find out more on their website and make sure the shelves stay stocked, for my sake. 

What you need (for a 6" layer cake):

For the sponges:
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g plain flour
2tsp baking powder (flat not heaped)
1/2tsp salt
1 lemon (zest only)
4tbsp elderflower cordial

For the lemon and elderflower syrup:
75ml elderflower cordial
25ml lemon juice
50g granulated sugar

For the white chocolate buttercream:
100g white chocolate
160g egg whites (from approximately 5 medium eggs)
320g caster sugar
320g unsalted butter (softened and cubed)

For the filling:
4tbsp lemon curd
1tsp elderflower cordial

What you need to do:

For the sponges:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°c then grease and line 3 x 6” cake tins with baking paper (you can use two tins and make a two layer cake if you prefer)
2. Place the butter in the bowl of a freestanding mixer and whisk until light and fluffy (around five minutes), then add the sugar and continue to whisk until fully combined
3. Weigh out the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest in a separate bowl
4. Set the mixer on a low speed, and then gradually add the flour, alternating with the eggs and ending with the flour mix
5. Add the elderflower cordial and continue to whisk briefly until all the ingredients are combined
6. Weigh out the batter and evenly split between your baking tins, flatten the top and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until a knife inserted comes out clean)
7. Leave to cool in the tin (you’ll need to prepare your syrup while the cakes are baking, see below)

For the lemon and elderflower syrup:

1. Place the cordial, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan, then set over a medium heat
2. Slowly heat the syrup until the sugar has dissolved - you can swirl the syrup around the pan as it slowly bubbles
3. Once the cakes have been removed from the oven, leave them to cool for five minutes then use a knife to insert small holes into each sponge and pour the syrup over each layer
4. Leave the cakes to cool completely before turning them out

For the white chocolate buttercream:

1. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream
2. Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie (or in short bursts in a microwave, using a microwave-proof bowl) and set aside
3. Combine the egg whites and caster sugar in a heatproof bowl, and then set over a bain-marie (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water in your saucepan)
4. Whisk continuously until the sugar as dissolved completely (approximately 10 minutes), the mixture should register 72°c on sugar thermometer before you remove it from the heat
5. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a freestanding mixer then whisk on a high speed for around 10 minutes, until you have a thick, smooth meringue
6. Gradually add the butter and continue to whisk until you have a soft whipped buttercream
7. Add the white chocolate and whisk to combine
8. If your buttercream is too soft, you may need to pop the buttercream in the fridge for a little bit

To fill and assemble:

1. If your sponges are slightly domed on top, trim with a knife to even them out
2. To prepare the filling, simply combine the lemon curd and elderflower in a small bowl and stir to mix
3. To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on a cake stand ready to fill
4. Use a large round nozzle to pipe a buttercream ‘fort’ on top of you first layer on the outer edge (leaving a small border of sponge on the outside still)
5. Fill the middle of the sponge with a tablespoon of buttercream and smooth out using the back of a spoon, then top with a tablespoon of the lemon curd mix
6. Repeat this with the next layer, and then place this on top of the bottom layer
7. Place the final sponge on top and slightly press down to secure all three layers
8. Using an angled palette knife, carefully cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream to seal in the crumbs and leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
9. Once your crumb coat has chilled, finish with a second layer of buttercream and smooth around the edges and on top - you don’t need to cover the cake completely for the semi-naked effect
10. Use a large nozzle to pipe buttercream ‘kisses’ on top of the cake and decorate with fresh elderflower and dried lemon slices
11. Slice and enjoy!