Sticky lemon and almond cake with lemon caramel

Preparation

Whoever the mother figure in your life is, show her just how much she means to you with this luxurious homemade bake. Serve it for afternoon tea or as a dessert.

1. Pierce one of the lemons, place in a covered microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes until tender, turning halfway through. Alternatively, cook the lemon (without piercing first) in a pan of boiling water for about 20 minutes until soft. Snip the lemon into quarters using clean kitchen scissors (keep any juice) and leave to cool. Discard the seeds then chop to a pulp, skin, juice and all, and mix with the yogurt or soured cream.

2. Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm springform tin.

3. Grate the zest from the second lemon (you’ll use the juice for the lemon caramel). Add to a mixing bowl with the soft butter and sugar and beat until pale and creamy using an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a third of the ground almonds after each one.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder together with a pinch of salt. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the zingy lemony yogurt, with the mixer running, until everything is incorporated. Scrape into the prepared tin and smooth out. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

5. While the cake is cooking, make the lemon caramel. Add the juice of 1½ lemons to a medium saucepan with the sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, swirling the pan rather than stirring. Increase the heat and bubble for 8-10 minutes or until you have a syrup with a golden-brown colour. Remove from the heat and carefully add the juice of ½ lemon to halt the cooking process. Set aside to cool.

6. When the cake comes out of the oven, make holes in the top with a skewer and brush about one-third of the sticky lemon caramel over while the cake is still warm. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

7. To serve, whip the cream to soft peaks. Release the cake from the tin and swirl the rich cream on top before drizzling with tangy lemon caramel. Add lemon slices to decorate too, if you like.