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SURPRISE CAKE

Yields12 Servings

 350 g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
 350 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
 350 g caster sugar
 Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
 3 tablespoons lemon juice
 6 large eggs
To decorate
 200 g unsalted butter softened
 300 g icing sugar
 4 tablespoons lemon juice
 500 g sweets of your choice
1

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas4; grease and base-line 2 x 18cm round pans and dust the sides with flour

2

Put the butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice, flour and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand beater until the mixture is pale and creamy

3

Spoon ¼ of the mixture into one pan and the same quantity into the other pan; level the surfaces and bake for 25 minutes or until just firm to the touch; remove from the pan and allow to cool

4

Wash the pans and grease and re-line; bake the remaining mixture in the same way and cool

5

Cut the centres of 2 of the cakes using a 9cm round shape; lift out the centres and keep for later use

6

To make the lemon butter icing put the butter, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a large bowl and beat until smooth; add the rest of the lemon juice and beat again until pale and creamy

7

Place one of the whole cakes on a plate and spread the edges and top with a little lemon buttercream; position one of the ring cakes on top and spread the edges and top of this with the buttercream and position the second ring cake on top of it; tip the sweets into the cavity until it is completely filled

8

Spread the cake edges and top with more buttercream and position the remaining cake on top

9

Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake evenly

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0