A showstopping lemon drizzle layer cake, with three sponge layers with a zingy lemon flavour, lemon Chantilly cream and white chocolate ganache. All the flavour of a classic lemon drizzle cake in a cake fit for a celebration!
So The Great British Bake Off has come to an end – what will I do on a Wednesday evening now?!
I was pleased that Nadiya won, I thought her bakes in the final were excellent.
Especially her three wedding cakes with sari decoration. Her iced buns also looked perfect to me.
As well as the end of GBBO for this year, this means it is also the last week of the Great Bloggers Bake Off.
For my final bake, I’ve taken inspiration from the showstopper round, and made a cake based on my favourite British cake.
Lemon drizzle cake showstopper
I can’t think of anything better than sitting down to a cup of tea and a slice of a lemon drizzle loaf. So my layers are made of lemon drizzle.
That traditional lemon loaf with a crunchy lemony sugar topping we all know so well. Why not give your usual lemon drizzle loaf a bit of a twist and make this large lemon celebration cake instead?
Since I didn’t think my family of four would require three actual cakes like the cakes they made in the final round of the Bake Off on TV (though one of those stands would be marvellous!), I’ve gone for three layers instead.
Whipped white chocolate ganache was used to fill and top the cake, and lemon Chantilly cream.
I wanted to continue the classic flavours and colours of a lemon drizzle cake so there is plenty of lemon zest and also some lime zest curls used for decoration in my lemon drizzle layer cake.
It tasted delicious, very zingy with all the lemon zest, and the white chocolate ganache gave it an extra level of sweetness. The family loved this one!
Ingredients
Get the full recipe and quantities in the printable recipe card further down the page.
- butter or Stork (baking spread)
- caster sugar
- eggs
- self-raising flour
- lemons
- white chocolate
- single cream
- double cream
- icing sugar
- lime zest
Method
Step 1 – Make the Lemon Drizzle Cakes
- Cream the sugar into the butter or spread until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each.
- Sift in the flour and fold it in gently.
- Zest the lemons and fold in.
- If you have three 20 cm tins, prepare them and put one third of the mixture into each. I only have two so I made two layers first, then the third one afterwards.
- Bake at 180°C for approx 20 minutes, or until each cake is golden brown and cooked through.
- Leave the cakes to cool for a few minutes, remove from the tins and then leave them to cool completely.
Step 2 – Make the Lemon Drizzle
- Make the lemon drizzle by mixing together lemon juice and caster sugar.
- Make holes in the cakes using a skewer or cake tester, and spoon the drizzle over each layer.
- For this recipe, I applied the drizzle when my cakes were almost cool, as I didn’t want them to go too soft when warm in case they broke when assembling the layers.
- If you are making a standard lemon drizzle loaf, it is not a problem to apply the drizzle when the cake is still warm, in fact it is best to do so.
Step 3 – Make the Ganache
- Break the white chocolate up, and place white chocolate and single cream in a large microwaveable bowl.
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir well, then heat for ten seconds at a time, stirring afterwards, until smooth.
- Place the ganache in the fridge to cool.
- After about thirty minutes, whip using a handheld mixer for a few minutes, until thick.
Step 4 – Make the Chantilly Cream
- Put double cream, icing sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl.
- Whip using a handheld mixer until it has firm peaks.
Step 5 – Assemble the Layer Cake
- To assemble, level the bottom cake layer, and spoon on some white chocolate ganache.
- Pipe the cream around the edges.
- Add the next levelled layer and repeat.
- Add the final layer, pipe cream in the centre, spoon the ganache on, and decorate with lime zest curls and lemon zest.
More showstopper cakes
For more showstopper cake ideas, check these out:
- Black Forest Gateau from Sophie Loves Food
- Raspberry Eton Mess Victoria Sponge from Its not easy being greedy
- Totally summery Eton Mess cake from Supergolden Bakes
- Pimms layer cake from Taming Twins
Recipe
Lemon Drizzle Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 300 g butter/spread I used Stork with butter
- 300 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 5 medium free-range eggs
- 300 g self-raising flour
- Zest of 2 lemons
For the drizzle:
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 30 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
For the ganache:
- 200 g white chocolate
- 70 ml single cream
For the Chantilly cream:
- 250 ml double cream
- 1.5 tbsp icing sugar
- Zest of half a lemon
To decorate:
- Lemon and lime zest
Instructions
- Cream the sugar into the butter or spread until it is light and fluffy.300 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), 300 g butter/spread
- Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each.5 medium free-range eggs
- Sift in the flour and fold in.300 g self-raising flour
- Zest the lemons and fold in.Zest of 2 lemons
- If you have three 20 cm tins, prepare them and put one third of the mixture into each. I only have two so I made two layers first, then the third one afterwards.
- Bake at 180℃ / 350℉ for approx 20 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and cooked through.
- Leave the cakes to cool for a few minutes, remove from the tins and then leave the, to cool completely.
- Make the lemon drizzle by mixing together the lemon juice and caster sugar. Make holes in the cakes using a skewer or cake tester, and spoon the drizzle over each layer. I did this when my cakes were almost cool, as I didn’t want them to go to soft when warm in case they broke.Juice of 2 lemons, 30 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Make the ganache: break the chocolate up and place the chocolate and cream in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir well, then heat for ten seconds at a time, stirring afterwards, until smooth. Place the ganache in the fridge to cool. After about thirty minutes, whip using a handheld mixer for a few minutes, until thick.200 g white chocolate, 70 ml single cream
- Make your Chantilly cream: put the double cream, icing sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Whip using a handheld mixer until it has firm peaks.250 ml double cream, 1.5 tbsp icing sugar, Zest of half a lemon
- To assemble, level the bottom layer, spoon on some white chocolate ganache. Pipe the cream around the edges. Add the next levelled layer and repeat. Add the final layer, pipe cream in the centre, spoon the ganache on, and decorate with lime zest curls and lemon zest.Lemon and lime zest
I’m sending this cake over to Jenny at Mummy Mishaps for the final round of the Great Bloggers Bake Off of course, pop over and see all the other bakes
Sammie says
Ooh this is a delicious take on a lemon drizzle that I absolutely love. 3 layers just feels more like a party/celebration cake. Utterly scrummy. Sammie x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks so much Sammie
Sarah Trivuncic, Maison Cupcake says
I love a good lemon cake and this looks positively dripping with loveliness. I was pleased Nadiya won too although actually I thought all of the contestants were a nice bunch of people this year – and I rarely think that of any reality show!!
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you Sarah, that means a lot 🙂 they did all seem very normal and likeable this year, I agree!
Lili says
Your cakes looks stunning and delicious Lucy! Yum! Love this kind of cake .. And I’m really glad Nadiya won too! 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you Lili! Thanks for visiting. She was great, my favourite contestant this year
choclette says
What a stunner Lucy. The lime twists on top really make the whole thing stand out. I love a good citrus cake and of course I approve of the ganache filling 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
I did plan on adding some blackberries but they had been eaten by the time I got to them, kids eh? Thanks for dropping in!
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed says
What a beautiful cake Lucy, definitely a showstopper! I love the idea of using a white chocolate ganache, delicious.
bakingqueen74 says
Very kind Sarah, it was good and the ganache made it a bit more creamy and sweet!
Mandy Mazliah says
What an incredible looking cake – adding that extra layer just makes it look so impressive. Lemon cake is my favourite (I think) – really wish I had a slice right now…
Jo's Kitchen (@Jos_Kitchen) says
I love lemon drizzle and yours looks one of the best out there. Very showstopping!
Nayna Kanabar (@citrusspiceuk) says
This cakes looks fantastic and I can’t stop drooling over it.
efwalt says
What a seriously delicious looking cake. Those pools of icing – YUM! I have had my fair share of sugar for the day but I could happily take a piece of this right now.
bakingqueen74 says
I’ll send you some over Emma, thanks 😉
Heidi Roberts says
The one thing better than a lemon drizzle loaf cake is a lemon drizzle iced layer cake!!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Heidi!
Dominic Franks (@belleaukitchen) says
wowzers, 5 eggs! That’s a tribute the power of the egg and is there anything finer than the lemon drizzle cake. It’s a stunner and an absolute legend of a cake. Thanks for linking with Simply Eggcellent xx
bakingqueen74 says
Ah thank you Dom, thank you for hosting, it is a pleasure to join in
jennypaulin says
such as beautiful cake Lucy – i love lemon cake and all that icing and chantilly cream too – well just yummy!!!
thank you for supporting the bake along and good luck with the final xx
bakingqueen74 says
Thank you Jenny! I’ve had great fun baking along again this year, thanks for hosting and organising the whole thing, it was great
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh that cake looks so stylish and inviting! I love lemon drizzle cake – great choice of bake
Angela x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Angela, lemon drizzle is a great classic isn’t it
knattster says
That looks beautiful Lucy – so simple and stylish. I am hungry again now! Thanks for linking to my bake too – I am going to miss the Bake Off …
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Tracy, I had cake aversion for a few days but finally got to it. Need to go on a diet now but have enjoyed baking along!