22ND BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with a little butter and base line with baking paper. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa, then lightly fold into the mixture.
• Add a little milk until you have a dropping consistency, then divide between the tins. It’s best to only fill the sandwich tins 3/4 full.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then cool slightly. In a bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy, then fold in the melted chocolate.
• Spread some icing over 1 of the cakes, top with the other cake and the rest of the icing.

Steps:

• Grease the base of the cake tin, then line the base and sides with baking paper. Break the biscuits into chunks, then put in a food processor. Whizz until the biscuits have the consistency of sand, then tip into a bowl. Add the sugar, the melted butter and water, then mix until all the crumbs are damp with the butter, like wet sand. Tip the crumbs into the cake tin, then use the back of a metal spoon or a straight-sided glass to press the mixture into the base of the tin. Put in the fridge to set for an hour or so.
• When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas 3½. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl, using an electric mixer, until soft and well combined. Add the soured cream and beat on a slow speed to combine. Don’t overbeat the mixture or beat it too fast, as this will beat in air and make the cheesecake rise as it cooks, then crack as it cools – always set the mixer speed to slow-medium. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in each one until incorporated. Add the lemon zest and juice, then beat slowly for about a minute.
• Pour the mixture over the biscuit base. Bake for 1 hour or until the cheesecake is a light golden colour, but still a bit wobbly in the middle. Leave to cool in the oven with the door ajar. Refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight until chilled.
• To make the lemon curd topping, put the butter and lemon zest in a heavy-based saucepan and put over a medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolk and sugar. When the butter has melted, add the egg yolk mixture and lemon juice, then whisk constantly using a balloon whisk until the curd thickens. This will take about 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
• Just before serving, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin, then spread with most of the lemon curd. Decorate with big dollops of thick cream and candied lemon slices, if desired. Drizzle with the remaining lemon curd, dust with icing sugar, then serve.