Lilly Higgins: St Clement’s cake

Writing recipes using only five ingredients has been an enjoyable challenge. Although I will still be bringing you simple recipes, I will be breaking out of the five-ingredients straitjacket from now on. And where better to start than with cake?

I am delighted to be the ambassador for the Great Irish Bake for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital this year. The idea is to hold a bake-sale in your home or workplace to raise much-needed dough on Friday, April 15th.

It is a simple and fun event that makes a huge difference to the sick children who are cared for at Temple Street. This year's bake is set to be the biggest yet. See templestreet.ie for full details.

I have devised this gorgeous St Clement’s cake to bake and share. It’s a traditional Victoria sandwich with a citrus twist. It is bursting with fresh, zesty lemons and oranges.

I have spread the batter out over three tins, but it will fit perfectly in two; just change the baking time a little.

I have filled it with an orange buttercream, but cream would be equally delicious, especially if you are going to eat it the day you make it.

You can always wrap the cakes well and assemble and ice them a day or two after baking and they will still taste great. I have used edible flowers and herbs here: pale-yellow primroses, sweet geranium leaves and a little mint.

I don’t like a fondant-heavy cake. I think it takes away from the bake.

A cake can be too sugary, so it is nice to have something natural and fresh on top. Just make sure the foliage you pick is safe to eat.

I have seen chive flowers stuck on chocolate cakes, and although the cute purple pompoms are pretty, they reek of onions and are best kept for savoury food – pull the pompom apart and scatter the little purple bells over salads.

The same goes for the white bells on a three-cornered leek or ramson. They are lovely for finishing off a savoury dish but stick to primroses, pansies and roses for cakes. Little yellow flowers from wild rocket or white flowers from thyme are also lovely.

ST CLEMENT'S CAKE: SERVES 8-10

The ingredients

• 200g butter, soft
• 200g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tbs milk
• Zest from 1 large orange
• Zest from 1 lemon

For the buttercream:

• 150g butter, soft
• 225g icing sugar, sieved
• 2tbs orange juice

For the lemon glace icing:

• 250g icing sugar, sieved
• Juice of 1 lemon

For decoration:

• Edible flowers
• Herbs
• Citrus zest

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease three 20cm sandwich tins with butter and dust with flour. You could use two sandwich tins, either.

Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and pale. Add the eggs one by one, along with the orange and lemon zest. Beat in the milk.

Sieve the flour and baking powder and fold gently into the mix until it becomes a smooth batter. Divide the batter between the two or three prepared tins; I use a weighing scales to do this as it ensures even layers. Just place the empty tins on the scale. Smooth the surface of the cake over using the back of a spoon and create a dip in the middle so it rises evenly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and the cake shrinks away from the side of the tin. The cake should spring back when pressed. Turn the cakes out from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. For the buttercream, beat the butter with the sieved icing sugar and orange juice. If you are using an electric mixer, use the whisk attachment to make it fluffy and light. It will become quite pale. Set aside.

For the lemon glace icing, just mix the sieved icing sugar with the lemon juice until thick and smooth.

Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread with half the buttercream. Sandwich another cake on top and spread the remaining buttercream.

You don’t need to go all the way to the edges, as the weight of the cakes will ensure it spreads. Top with the final cake. Spread the glace icing over the top of the cake using a palette knife or rounded butter knife dipped in boiling water. Decorate with edible flowers and herbs or more zest.

• Every Thursday, we'll tweet the five ingredients from @lillyhiggins and @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes