‘This delicate lemon and blueberry sponge is light in texture and a breeze to make. I’ve added a luscious buttercream dotted with jam to add flavour and colour.’
This recipe: service 8-10 people, ready in 1hr 15 minutes, plus cooling
For the sponge
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135g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
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100g full-fat Greek yogurt, plus extra to serve
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3 medium eggs
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zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra zest to decorate
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150g self-raising flour
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135g golden caster sugar
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150g blueberries, plus extra to serve
For the buttercream
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250g unsalted butter, softened
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500g icing sugar, sifted
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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a little milk, to loosen
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3 tbsp blueberry jam
Step 1: Grease and line two 15cm round cake tins, or use silicone moulds.
Step 2: For the sponge, put the butter, yogurt, eggs, lemon zest and juice, flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix briefly with an electric whisk until the batter just comes together. Divide half the batter equally between the tins. Sprinkle over half the blueberries, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle over the remaining blueberries.
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer to 140°C. Bake for 25-30min until risen, golden and slightly shrinking away from the sides. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
Step 4: Cool in the tins for 10-15min, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Trim the tops of the cakes to level them, if needed.
Step 5: To make the buttercream, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until light, smooth and fluffy. Loosen with a little milk to make it easier to spread, but make sure it still holds its shape.
Step 6: Place one cake onto a plate or stand and spread over about 150g of buttercream. Make a well in the middle with a palette knife, pushing the buttercream out to the edge, and fill the middle with 2tbsp of the jam. Place the second cake on top and cover the top and sides of both cakes with the remaining buttercream using a palette knife.
Step 7: Using the tip of a knife or the back of a teaspoon, splodge dots of the remaining jam around the sides and top, then using a toothed scraper, drag around the outside to sweep the jam through. Use the tip of a palette knife or the handle of a teaspoon to make a circular swirl over the top of the cake to add a spiral design and sweep the jam through the icing.
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Cocktails on tap: The Lychee Martini from The Drinks Bureau is available in 150ml cans (£19.99/6) and this 1.5l party box (£30), which contains 10 cocktails! It’s perfect for a girls’ night in. From Amazon and TheDrinksBureau.
Sparkle and shine: Make cleaning your air fryer a cinch with the new Elbow Grease Air Fryer Cleaner. The power degreaser makes air fryer cleaning quick and simple – just spray, wipe and rinse. £1.29/500ml from B&M.
These recipes are taken from ‘Air Fryer Baking Magic’ by Juliet Sear (HarperNonFiction, £20)