Ingredients
Lemon cake:
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4 cups (1 liter) butter, room temperature
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6 cups (1.4 liter) sugar
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18 eggs
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12 cups (2.8 liters) cake flour
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6 teaspoons (30 milliliters) baking powder
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1-1/2 teaspoons (7.5 milliliters) salt
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1-1/2 cup (360 milliliters) lemon juice
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9 tablespoons (135 milliliters) lemon zest
Buttercream frosting:
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4 cups (1 liter) butter, room temperature
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16 cups (3.8 liters) icing sugar
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4 teaspoons (20 milliliters) vanilla
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8 tablespoons (120 milliliters) milk
Decoration:
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2 kilograms fondant
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226 grams white rock candy
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1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) lemon extract
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0.07 ounces (2 grams) edible gold dust
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Airbrush (optional)
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1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) purple airbrush food colouring (optional)
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1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) blue airbrush food colouring (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). Cream butter and sugar. Incorporate eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift flour mixture into butter mixture and fold in. Add lemon juice and lemon zest and incorporate. Line ten centimeter, 15 centimeter and 20 centimeter cake tins with parchment circles and divide the batter into each. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool. Cut off rounded top of cakes to level.
- To make buttercream, cream together butter and icing sugar. Add vanilla and continue beating. Slowly add milk until buttercream is smooth.
- Set first layer of cake on a 20 centimeter round board with a quarter cut out of it (this will allow for carving the geode). Frost first layer by spreading a small amount of icing smoothly on top. Set a 20 centimeter cake on top. Spread on a layer of icing. Repeat until all 20 centimeter cakes have been used. Spread icing around cake until as smooth as possible. Repeat for 15 centimeter cakes using a 15 centimeter round cake board with a quarter cut out of it (this will allow for carving the geode). Repeat for ten centimeter cakes using a ten centimeter round cake board with a quarter cut out (this will allow for carving the geode). Chill cakes thoroughly.
- Divide fondant and roll out a large circle to fit 20 centimeter cake. Drape over cake, and smooth. With a toothpick, mark where the bottom of the fondant reaches the board and cut away excess. Roll out a second circle to cover 15 centimeter cake. Roll out a third circle to cover ten centimeter cake. Drape over cake, smooth, and cut away excess. Press dowels or straws into the centre of the 20 centimeter cake to support the weight. Set 15 centimeter cake over the 20 centimeter cake, press dowels through 15 centimeter cake, and place ten centimeter cake over top.
- Cut a deep groove in the side of the cake, and cover with buttercream. Place rock candy into groove using different sizes of candy. After rock candy completely covers the buttercream, use the airbrush and food colouring to paint the candy. Using a small amount of lemon extract mixed with gold dust, paint around the edges of the geode. Display on cake plate or stand.
