Jessica Holmes’ deep rooted love of baking came to her later in life. She was 22, newly married and just back from her honeymoon when she realised she had no idea how to cook, let alone bake. Holmes and her husband slowly learnt to cook thanks to a Jamie Oliver cookbook they were gifted and she began to try her hand at baking with box mixes to start with. “But eventually I gained the confidence to put Betty Crocker down and bake from scratch.’’ The first things that came out of her oven were chocolate chip cookies and brownies — her two great loves. But there was one thing that was consistent; she had wins which delighted her but she also had plenty of fails. “The failures frustrated me no end. As a fresh-faced baker, I was often puzzled by bakes gone awry. And I struggled to follow recipes that assumed too much baking knowledge.’’ Soon a “full-blown obsession” was born. “I had to bake, I had to figure out these mysteries — the little tips and tricks that were missing from regular recipes — and I had to do it every day.’’ Four years later the copywriter by day, graphic design student by night, realised her baking obsession was out of control. Her husband suggested she should write a blog and she started “sweetestmenu.com” in 2014. For the next six years she blogged and baked every non-working moment. She taught herself how to take food photos and began to grow an audience. “It was, and still is, pure joy.’’ In 2020, pregnant with her daughter, she knew she had to make a choice between day job or Sweetest Menu. Sweetest Menu won out. Over the next five years she baked and blogged while becoming a mum to Lucy and Jack who have become her harshest critics. “If there is one thing being a mum has taught me, it’s the importance of quick and easy recipes to save those days when everyone is tired and has had enough.’’ Her book Something Sweet has given her the opportunity to publish recipes that are clear and concise, with plenty of advice for the non-bakers. “I love one-bowl recipes and any bakes that don’t require an electric mixer but allow my kids to do the all-important stirring.” While she likes to seek out shortcuts, she never serves up something that does not “taste outrageously good’’. The book starts off with some easy bakes, then has some slices and a chapter dedicated to kid-friendly bakes, another for celebration bakes and then desserts. Here she shares some of her favourite lemon recipes, providing a bit of brightness to our winter days. Notes For this book she uses: 240ml = 1 cup; 15ml = 1 Tbsp; 5ml=1 tsp. Mark RoperPhoto: Mark Roper The best lemon pound cake I’ve ever had Yes, it really is that good! This recipe is a cross between a traditional pound cake and a lemon drizzle cake. And it really is the best of both worlds. You’ll start by making a dense but tender pound cake flavoured with both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice (swap for orange zest and juice if preferred). While it’s still warm, the cake is drenched in a two-ingredient lemon syrup, before being finished with a zesty lemon glaze. This cake is bursting with all the brightness of lemon and, thanks to the syrup, it stays moist for days. It is one of my all-time favourite cakes. PREP TIME 40 minutes BAKE TIME 1 hour and 5 minutes SERVES 8–10 230g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened 200g (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar 3 large eggs, room temperature finely grated zest of 2 large lemons 60ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons) 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 280g (2 cups) plain flour or all-purpose flour 120ml (½ cup) full-fat milk, room temperature Lemon syrup 45ml (3 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice 65g (⅓ cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar Lemon glaze 24g (3 Tbsp) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted 2–3 tsp fresh lemon juice Method Preheat the oven to 150°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 23 × 13 cm loaf tin with baking paper or parchment paper, ensuring two sides overhang. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and caster sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until the butter turns pale, creamy and almost fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat briefly to combine — don’t worry if the mixture goes a little bit lumpy at this stage. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and half of the flour. Beat on low speed, then add the remaining flour and milk. Continue beating on low speed until the cake batter is smooth and creamy (but try not to over-mix). It will be very thick — this is fine. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake the cake for approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the cake is very brown after 50–60 minutes, loosely cover the top with aluminium foil. Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Make the lemon syrup. Stir the lemon juice and sugar together in a small bowl. Spoon the lemon syrup all over the warm cake while it is still in the tin. The syrup will soak into the cake, especially the cracks, and the sugar will settle on the crust. Use the overhanging baking paper to carefully lift the cake out of the tin and put it on a wire rack to cool completely. Make the lemon glaze. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the icing sugar and lemon juice until it reaches your desired thickness. Drizzle the glaze all over the cooled cake. Cut into thick slices to serve. NOTES • Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It also freezes really well. Mark RoperPhoto: Mark Roper Lemon raspberry cupcakes There’s no shortage of lovely lemon desserts in this book, but these colourful lemon raspberry cupcakes just might be the best of them all. The cupcakes themselves are soft and sweet and brimming with lemon, but they also hide a special lemon surprise inside. One bite and you’ll be met with spoonfuls of tangy homemade lemon curd. The final touch is an easy raspberry buttercream made with spoonfuls of raspberry jam. These cupcakes are the perfect addition to your party table. PREP TIME 40 minutes + 2 hours chilling BAKE TIME 22 minutes MAKES 12 Lemon curd 120ml (½ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons) Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon 65g (⅓ cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar 2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks 45g (3 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened Lemon cupcakes 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened 200g (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large eggs, room temperature 210g (1 ½ cups) plain flour or all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice 120ml (½ cup) full-fat Greek or plain yoghurt, room temperature 60ml (¼ cup) full-fat milk, room temperature Raspberry buttercream 230g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened 375g (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted 30ml (2 Tbsp) full-fat milk, room temperature 130g (½ cup) raspberry jam or preserve ⅛ tsp salt Pink gel food colouring, optional Method Start with the lemon curd. In a medium saucepan, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Whisk together until combined. Put the pan on medium–low heat and stir using a rubber spatula for 5–7 minutes until the mixture thickens or reaches 77°C . Immediately take it off the heat. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Run the curd through a sieve, discarding any lumps or bumps. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap (to prevent it from forming a skin) and put it in the fridge for 2 hours to cool and thicken. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners. Make the cupcakes. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat briefly until combined. Add half of the flour, along with the baking powder, salt, lemon juice and yoghurt. Beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining flour and the milk. Beat on low speed until you have a light, creamy cake batter. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each one two-thirds full. Bake the cupcakes for 20–22 minutes or until they spring back to the touch. Leave the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack. Make the raspberry buttercream. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add half of the icing sugar, along with the milk, and beat until smooth. In a separate medium bowl, push the raspberry jam through a sieve to get rid of the seeds. Discard the seeds. Add the remaining icing sugar and 65g (¼ cup) of seedless jam to the buttercream. Beat the buttercream on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Add the salt and briefly beat again. If desired, add a few drops of pink food colouring for a stronger pink colour. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, about 1.5cm in diameter. Use a small sharp knife to carefully cut little circles out of each cupcake so there’s a hole for the filling. Trim the extra cake pieces so you have a little lid to pop back on top of each cupcake. Fill each hole with 1 Tbsp of lemon curd. Place the little cake lids back on top of each cupcake. Pipe a big swirl of buttercream onto each cupcake. Spoon a little extra lemon curd on top of the buttercream on each cupcake for decoration. NOTES • You will need a candy thermometer to make the lemon curd. • If you don’t have a piping bag and tip, just snip the corner off a ziplock bag. • Once frosted, store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove the cupcakes from the fridge 15 minutes before serving to allow them to come to room temperature. Mark RoperPhoto: Mark Roper Lemon-misu If you want a layered dessert that’ll easily feed a crowd, this one is for you. A twist on the more traditional tiramisu, my lemon-misu is just as creamy, but perhaps more bright and tart. The sponge fingers are soaked in a sweet lemon–lime syrup and then layered with a thick mascarpone cream. But perhaps the star of the show is the lemon curd. Surprisingly sharp, I’ve made it only just as sweet as it needs to be. It helps to cut through all of the cream and provide an acidity boost that’ll leave your taste buds tingling. I promise, this mouthwatering dessert will be a welcome addition to any party or family event. PREP TIME 45 minutes + 2 hours chilling CHILL TIME 6 hours SERVES 24 Lemon curd 180ml (¾ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons) Finely grated zest of 2 large lemons 100g (½ cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar 3 large eggs, plus 3 egg yolks 75g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, softened Lemon–lime syrup 180ml (¾ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons) 30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lime juice 100g (½ cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar 360ml (1 ½ cups) water Mascarpone cream 600ml (2 ½ cups) thickened or heavy cream 250g (1 cup) mascarpone cheese 120ml (½ cup) creme fraiche 1 tsp vanilla extract To assemble 330g (about 40) savoiardi or lady finger sponge biscuits Finely grated lemon and lime zest Method Set aside a 23 × 33 cm cake tin or glass or ceramic dish. Make the lemon curd. In a medium saucepan, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Whisk together until combined. Put the pan on medium–low heat and stir using a heatproof spatula for 5–7 minutes until the mixture thickens or reaches 65°C. Immediately take it off the heat. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Run the curd through a sieve, discarding any lumps or bumps. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap to prevent it from forming a skin and put it in the fridge for 2 hours to thicken. Make the lemon–lime syrup. In a medium saucepan, add the lemon juice, lime juice, caster sugar and water. Put the pan on medium heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Take the syrup off the heat and transfer it to a medium shallow dish. Leave it to cool completely. Make the mascarpone cream. In a large mixing bowl, add the cream, mascarpone, creme fraiche and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. To assemble, gently dip half of the savoiardi in the lemon–lime syrup, 3 seconds for each side. Arrange the savoiardi in a single layer along the bottom of the cake tin or dish (about 20 biscuits per layer). Leave a small space between each biscuit as they will swell over time. Spoon half of the lemon curd onto the soaked savoiardi and gently spread it out to cover them. Add half of the mascarpone cream on top and spread it out to form one even layer. Dip the remaining savoiardi in syrup and then carefully place them on top of the mascarpone cream in one layer. Spoon the remaining lemon curd on top and spread it out. Finish with a layer of mascarpone cream. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours or, even better, overnight. Sprinkle lemon and lime zest on top to decorate. Serve cold slices of the cake directly from the cake tin. NOTES • You will need a candy thermometer to make the lemon curd. • Store the cake covered in the fridge. Mark RoperSomething Sweet by Jessica Holmes, published by Plum, RRP: $49.99, photography by Mark Roper. The book: Something Sweet by Jessica Holmes, published by Plum, RRP: $49.99, photography by Mark Roper.
