Lemon Curd Butterfly Cakes

To make the cakes, place all the ingredients (except the icing sugar) together in a large mixing bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, whisk everything together until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture, which will take about 1 minute.

Then, using a spoon, drop an equal quantity of the mixture into the paper cases, and sit the cases in the patty tin - giving it two or three light taps to settle the cake mixture. Now bake on the shelf just above the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are well risen and golden.  Then remove them to a wire rack and leave to cool.  If you are making your own lemon curd, begin by lightly whisking the eggs in a small saucepan, then add the rest of the ingredients and place the saucepan over a medium heat.  Now whisk continuously, using a balloon whisk, until the mixture thickens - about 7-8 minutes.  Next, lower the heat to its minimum setting and let the curd gently simer for a further minute, continuing to whisk.  After that, remove it from the heat and leave to cool.

When both the cakes and the lemon curd are cool, take a sharp knife and, leaving a ½ inch (1 cm) border around the edge, and cutting at an angle, remove a cone shape from the top of each cake.  Cut each cone in half (top to bottom) and set aside.  Fill the cavity of each cake with lemon curd then sit the two cone-shaped pieces of cake on top like butterfly wings.  Dust lightly with icing sugar.