Water or glace icing must be mixed swiftly and poured over the cake quickly. However, do take time to make sure the icing is the correct consistency. Add the liquid slowly. Always have 2 or 3 tablespoons extra Confectioner’s sugar to use if icing is too runny. Leave the cake on a wire cooling tray while icing so that it can drip. Place cake on a plate when the icing is dry.
ingredients
serves about 6
1 cup + 2 tablespoons self rising flour
1/4 cup margarine
4 medium eggs
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 level tablespoons lemon curd
10 ounce Confectioner’s sugar
strained juice of half a medium lemon
few slices of orange and lemon
crystallized sweets
method
1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C (350°F).
2. Grease a 8 inch round, deep cake pan. Line base of tin with greaseproof paper.
3. Sift the flour into a bowl.
4. Melt the margarine in a small pan. Leave to cool.
5. Put the eggs and the superfine sugar in a large bowl and whisk until very pale and creamy. The mixture should hold the impression of the whisk for 5 seconds.
6. Fold the flour and melted margarine into whisked mixture.
7. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
8. Turn out cake to cool on a wire rack.
9. Cut the cake into three layers.
10. Sandwich the cake with the lemon curd.
11. Sift Confectioner’s sugar.
12. Mix lemon juice and a little water into the Confectioner’s sugar to make an icing stiff enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
13. Pour icing over cake so that top and sides are coated. (Never try to spread glace icing.) Leave to set.
14. Cut the orange and lemon slices into strips and use to decorate top of cake.
