When Life Gives You Pure Lemon Extract and Lemons - Make Cake

Recently I made a cake for a colleague at work and both Mr R and his father were slightly upset that they didn't get a piece. 

A package arrived with some Nielsen-Massey extracts (I always use their Vanilla Extract and/or Vanilla Bean Paste for the quality and taste) and this package had Almond, Coffee and Lemon extracts.

The Pure Lemon Extract will add a splash of citrus to beverages, vegetables, cakes, cookies, frozen desserts, jams, pies, pastries and the same with the other intense and pure extracts.

I had a lemon that needed using up resulting in my decision to make a Lemon Sponge Cake with a Lemon Cream Cheese frosting.

Basically used my stock Victoria Sponge Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 180o and prepare your sandwich cake tins.
• Cream 175gm room temperature butter with 175gm caster sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating after each one (if the mixture starts to split you can add a couple of teaspoons from your flour).
• Add 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract and the grated rind of one lemon.
• Add to the mixture 175gm Self Raising flour and mix until all mixture is evenly mixed.
• Add 2-3 tablespoons milk to achieve a smooth, craemy texture.
• pour evenly into the two prepared tins and bake for between 27-32 minutes in the middle of the oven until a knife or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then cool on a rack until the cakes are completely cool.

To make the icing and filling:

• Cream 200gm of Philadelphia Cream Cheese with 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Lemon Extract and lemon curd until you have the desired consistency.
• Spread just over half of the filling on one sponge cake and top with the other sponge cake.
• Spread the rest of the filling on top of the cake to just come to the edge of the top.
• Top with slices of strawberries or blueberries and enjoy!

Thanks to Nielsen-Massey for my collection of extracts. I was not paid to write this post and all opinions and photos are my own.