Lemon & Fennel Midsommar Cake

‘Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this wood’ – Midsummer Night’s Dream

A fennel infused fairytale feast for both the palate and eyes. This whimsical cake is the perfect way to celebrate summer solstice, generous layers of moist sponge, spiked with fresh lemon and the heady aroma of fennel, sandwiched with sharp, creamy mascarpone, it’s a match made in fairy heaven….

Summer days in the sun, nothing sings to the soul more than the heat that penetrates your very bones

Foraging for edible flowers makes this cake all the more for for a fairytale

cake, midsommer cake, midsummer, summer baking, flower cake, lemon cake, summer desserts

Yield: 12

Author: Suze Morrison

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Lemon & Fennel Midsommar Cake

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 3 H & 15 M

‘Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this wood’ – Midsummer Night’s DreamA fennel infused fairytale feast for both the palate and eyes. This whimsical cake is the perfect way to celebrate summer solstice, generous layers of moist sponge, spiked with fresh lemon and the heady aroma of fennel, sandwiched with sharp, creamy mascarpone, it’s a match made in fairy heaven….

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2tsp Fennel Seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 Lemon, zest
• 250g Plain Flour
• 300g Caster Sugar
• 50g Light Muscovado Sugar
• 1tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Bicarbonate Soda
• 1tsp Fine Salt
• 200g Unsalted Butter
• 4 Large Free-Range Eggs, separated
• 275g Full Fat Greek Yogurt
• 2tsp Lemon Extract
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Frosting

• 500g Mascarpone
• 300ml Double Cream
• 4tbsp Icing Sugar
• 4tbsp Lemon Curd
• Edible Flowers to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 170C. Grease and line 3x 6” Cake tins with butter and flour and chill in the fridge. In the base of a free stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the fennel seeds, lemon zest, plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix until homogenous.
2. Add the butter and mix on a low speed until just amalgamated then add the egg yolks, yogurt, lemon and vanilla extracts and combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and use a large spoon to fold through the batter. Weigh and divide between your three tins and bake on the middle shelf for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Allow to rest in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, begin with the frosting.
5. Add the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk and beat until spreadable. Use to sandwich the cakes, adding 2tbsp of lemon curd to each layer. Either ice the cakes with a ‘naked’ finish or fully ice depending on your aesthetic,
6. Decorate with edible wildflowers and serve

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/lemon-fennel-midsommar-cake

---

---