LEMON VICTORIA SANDWICH WITH LEMON CURD AND LIMONCELLO FILLING

SERVES 8-10

For the sponge:

• 220g butter
• 220g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 0.5 vanilla pod seeds
• 0 lemon
• 220g self-raising flour
• 0 small pinch baking powder
• 0 lemon juice

For the filling:

• 0 tbsp good lemon curd
• 300g double cream
• 30g icing sugar
• 0.5 vanilla pod seeds
• 1 tbsp limoncello

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Step 2
For the sponge, grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

Step 3
Put the softened butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat together well.

Step 4
Add 2 eggs, vanilla seeds and extract, lemon zest and half the flour and beat well.

Step 5
Then add the other 2 eggs, the rest of the flour and the baking powder and beat.

Step 6
If the mixture is stiff, add a little lemon juice.

Step 7
Divide the mixture between 2 tins and level off with the back of a spoon.

Step 8
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the sides of the sponge have shrunk slightly from the side of tins, the sponge springs back slightly when pressed, and a skewer inserted into the middle of the sponge comes out clean.

Step 9
Leave the sponges to cool in tins.

Step 10
To assemble, once the sponges are completely cool, remove them from the tins and place on a serving dish.

Step 11
Spread one sponge with the lemon curd then whip up the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla pod and extract (and fold in the limoncello if using), then dollop on top of the lemon curd.

Step 12
Put the other sponge on top and sprinkle with some icing sugar.