My mum and dad popped over to stay with us recently and, though they weren't here on the actual date, we celebrated my dad's birthday.

Wanting to make it a proper birthday occasion, I had no option really but to make a cake!

Still having cravings for the sweet Maine blueberries I'd had in pie form on our early September trip, I wanted to use them along with some lemon for a bit of added zing. This was going to be a very grown up birthday cake.


Ingredients:

For the cake-
2 cups/260g all purpose/plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups/400g white sugar
zest of 1 lemon
6oz/170g blueberries
1 1/2 cups/370g greek yoghurt- I used fat free
4 eggs
1 cup/250ml vegetable/sunflower/canola oil

For the lemon cream and sugared zest topping-
1 cup/250ml heavy/double cream
2 tablespoon white sugar
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon


Method:

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl then add in the rest of the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest (for the cake filling) and blueberries.

In another bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, oil and eggs until thick and creamy. Add into the dry ingredients and fold together until it's well mixed and smooth. Stir in well but do not beat the mixture, it will make the cake tough.

Line the bottom of two 9inch/23cm round pans with baking paper for easy turning out later. To line your round pans perfectly check out my tip here.
Divide equally into the pans and pop into a preheated oven at 325F for about 35 minutes. The cake will be a lovely, light yellow with slightly golden edges, springy to the touch and relinquish a clean knife from it's center when baked.

Allow the cakes to cook before turning them out.

Whip the cream with the lemon juice and table spoon of sugar until it holds soft peaks.

Mix the lemon zest (for the topping) with a tablespoon of sugar, jiggle the zest around in the sugar until it's well coated and the sugar sticks to the zest, turning a vibrant, bright yellow. Once the cakes are completely cooled spread half the cream onto the top of one cake then sandwich the second sponge on top. Dollop the remaining cream on top, spread across the cake then sprinkle on the sugared zest to finish.