Spring gateau

150g (6 oz) butter
150g (6 oz) castor sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
3 eggs, beaten
150g (6 oz) self raising flour
25g (1 oz) cornflour
a pinch of salt
1 tblsp warm water
125ml (¼ pint) double cream
6 level tblsp lemon curd
toasted flaked almonds or coconut
100g (4 oz) icing sugar
1 tblsp lemon juice

Grease and line two 20cm (7½ inch) square sandwich tins. Sift flour, cornflour and salt together. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC (350ºF, gas mark 4).

Cream butter, sugar and lemon rind until light and fluffy. Add eggs a little at a time (too much at once, and the mixture will curdle) and beat well. Fold in flour. Stir in warm water to make a soft dropping consistency.

Divide between the tins, levelling the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch.

Cool for 5 minutes in the tins, then turn out to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Whip the cream and fold 2 tablespoonsful of lemon curd into it. Spread the mixture over one of the cakes and sandwich together. Coat the sides of the cake with remaining lemon curd and decorate with the almonds or coconut.

Make icing with the icing sugar and strained lemon juice. Spread over the top of the cake and leave to set. Decorate with candy 'orange and lemon slices'.