Fun cake ideas: lemon cloud cake

Cakes don't need to be saved for birthdays or holidays. Our fun cakes are great to make at any time of the year. It's lemony, sweet and also very cute. Here's how to make a lemon cloud cake.

Things to gather for your lemon cloud cake:

• liquorice straps (to make eyes and smile)
• pink ice cream wafers (to make cheeks)
• an assortment of lollies for ‘lolly rain’. 

Lemon Cloud Cake Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (200g / 7oz) butter
• 3/4 cup (175g / 6oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups (300g / 10.5oz) flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• grated rind of 2 lemons
• 125g / 4oz unsweetened yoghurt or sour cream 
• 100ml / 3.5 fl oz squeezed lemon juice (or a mix of squeezed citrus will work too)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Beat butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Measure dry ingredients into a bowl.
3. Add eggs and beat until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with yoghurt until all mixture is incorporated. Finally, add citrus juice.
5. Scrape into a lined rectangle tin—ours measured 27cm x 17cm (10" x 7"), and it will need to be about 5cm / 2" high. You can line the sides with baking paper if yours isn’t deep enough. 
6. Bake for around 35–40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack after 10–15 minutes and leave to cool before icing.

Lemon Buttercream Ingredients:

• 1.4 sticks (150g / 5.3oz) butter
• 2 cups (300g / 10.6oz) icing sugar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice

What to do:

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and beat until mixed, then add lemon juice.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut cake out into a cloud shape. Ice sides and top and place in the fridge until icing is firm.
3. Cut out eyes and mouth from liquorice, and cheeks from pink wafers. It’s a great idea to check for bottle lids around, as these are good for cutting out circle shapes! 
4. Pull cake out of fridge and onto board for serving. Gently place eyes, cheeks and mouth on—and then scatter the lolly rain below.

///

For more fun cake ideas, try our Yeah Yeah Marbled Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing.

Fun cake ideas recipe and photography by Rachel Savage for Lunch Lady Magazine Issue 26.