A tall four layer naked cake, with buttercream icing and a floral decoration

Citrus and rosemary cake with clementine buttercream

Name: Citrus and rosemary cake with clementine buttercream
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: Serves 24
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 550g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes; 550g caster sugar; Zest of two lemons and two clementines; 9 medium free-range eggs; 400g ground almonds; 150g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 3 rosemary sprigs, chopped very finely; For the buttercream; 300g unsalted butter, at room temperature; 200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature; 500g icing sugar; Juice of 1-2 clementines; You’ll also need…; 2 x deep 20cm cake tins with removable bases, greased and fully lined with baking paper; Flexible palette knife

Portion size: Serves 24
Hands-on time 50 min, oven time 50 min, plus cooling
Difficulty: easy

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A naked cake recipe, made with lemon and rosemary-flavoured sponges and a clementine buttercream. It would look great as a celebration centrepiece for birthday, christening or wedding.

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Ingredients

550g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
550g caster sugar
Zest of two lemons and two clementines
9 medium free-range eggs
400g ground almonds
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 rosemary sprigs, chopped very finely

For the buttercream

300g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
500g icing sugar
Juice of 1-2 clementines

You’ll also need…

2 x deep 20cm cake tins with removable bases, greased and fully lined with baking paper
Flexible palette knife

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Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. Cream the butter, sugar and zest in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.  When light and fluffy, add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix the almonds, flour, rosemary and baking powder with a pinch of salt, then add to the butter mixture in thirds, folding in with either the mixer on the slowest speed, or with a metal spoon, until just combined. Divide between the cake tins, smooth the tops, then bake for 50 minutes or until risen, lightly golden and springy to the touch. Cover with foil if they start to brown too much. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to wire racks and cool completely.
To make the buttercream, put the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl (see tips) and beat with an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Sift in the icing sugar in batches, beating well between each addition until smooth. Add the clementine juice to the buttercream. Chill for 40 minutes until firm.
To assemble, cut each cake in half horizontally using a long serrated knife (see how to slice a cake horizontally or see tips) to make 4 sponges. Put one sponge on a serving platter and spread with a layer of buttercream using a palette knife. Top with a second sponge and repeat until you have 4 layers. Spread the rest of the icing around the cake, scraping here and there with the palette knife to give a mottled design. Decorate (see know-how) to serve.
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Nutrition

617kcals Calories
42.5g (21.1g saturated) Fat
8.5g Protein
50.2g (44.6g sugars) Carbs
0.2g Fibre
0.3g Salt

Quick wins & tips

The butter and cream cheese for the buttercream need to be at the same temperature before they’re mixed. Take them out of the fridge at the same time to warm up. If your buttercream is too soft after mixing, chill for an hour or so until firmer. If the cakes will be on display for a while before being served, give them a bit of time in the fridge to firm up – they’ll sit much more happily if they’re cold to begin with.

Choose from these styles:

MAKE IT 3 LAYERS: Use 3 x deep 23cm tins in step 1. Each layer will take about 35-40 minutes to cook. Don’t slice horizontally.

MAKE IT 6 LAYERS: Use 3 x deep 18cm tins in step 1. They’ll take the same time as the 20cm sponges. Cut each into two, as in the recipe, before stacking.

How to slice horizontally:

Make Ahead

The iced cake will keep chilled for 2-3 days, but is best on the day it’s made. Wrap un-iced sponges in cling film, then freeze in their tins for up to 3 months. Defrost before icing.

Cook smarter

For (inedible) decoration, we used olive leaves, red-berried eucalyptus and wax flowers (from florists) and sugared crab apples. Want to use other flowers or leaves? Check with your florist as to whether they’re food-safe. When you buy the flowers and foliage, buy florist’s tape and wrap it around exposed cut ends before putting on the cake.

How to sugar-frost fruit and petals:

This is an easy method and works particularly well with any fruit with a firm skin, or petals or small flowers. Whisk 2 egg whites in a bowl using a fork until frothy. Using a small paintbrush or pastry brush, gently paint a layer of egg white onto your chosen fruit or flower. Drop onto a plateful of caster sugar or granulated sugar (depending on the look you’re going for) and toss very gently to coat. Lay out on baking paper on top of a cooling rack and leave somewhere dry and cool for 1-2 hours until hardened. They will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container – the more delicate the object, the quicker it will deteriorate.