Ingredients
For the cake:
1 lemon, zest only, grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
175g/6oz self-raising flour, sifted
1 level tsp baking powder
175g/6oz butter, at room temperature
175g/6oz caster sugar
3 eggs
For the lemon curd:
1 large juicy lemon, grated zest and juice only
75g/3oz caster sugar
2 eggs
50g/2oz unsalted butter
For the icing:
1 large lemon, zest only
50g/2oz sifted icing sugar
2-3 tsp lemon juice

You will also need to grease two 18cm/7in sandwich tins 4cm/1½in deep, lined with baking parchment, also greased.

Method
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat - ideally with an electric hand whisk - until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. Then divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake them on the centre shelf of the oven for about 35 minutes or until the centres feel springy when lightly touched with a little finger.

While the cakes are cooking, make the lemon curd, place the sugar and grated
lemon zest in a bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the eggs, then pour this over the sugar. Then add the butter cut into little pieces, and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently till thickened - about 20 minutes. You don't have to stay with it - just come back from time to time to give it a stir.

When the cakes are cooked, remove them from the oven and after about 30 seconds turn them out on to a wire rack. When they are absolutely cold - and not before - carefully cut each one horizontally into two using a sharp serrated knife. Now spread the curd thickly to sandwich the sponges together.

Make the icing: Begin by removing the zest from the lemon - it's best to use a
zester to get long, curly strips. Then sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually stir in the lemon juice until you have a soft, runny consistency.

Allow the icing to stand for 5 minutes before spreading it on top of the cake with a
knife, almost to the edges, and don't worry if it runs a little down the sides of the cake. Then scatter the lemon zest over the top and leave it for half an hour for the icing to firm up before serving.