This sinfully decadent and rich shortbread cake is just divine. Lemon juice and zest was added for that hint of citrus that complements this cake. Use your favorite brand of butter to really enjoy the buttery goodness. Try this RECIPE and enjoy a slice with your favorite beverage. Yum!

Recipe by Mama Ding

Total Time | 2 hr 05 mins

Prep Time | 10 mins + 1 hr in the freezer

Cook Time | 55 mins

Servings : 1 cake (20 cm/8 inch square)

Ingredients

• 600 g (5 cups) plain flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 3 tsp baking powder

• 6 egg yolks

• 680 g (3 cup) unsalted butter, softened

• 300 g (1½ cups + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar

• juice of 1 lemon

• 75 g (3/4 cup) icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar, for topping (optional)

• 6 to 8 tbsp Jam of your choice ~ we used strawberry jam

• zest of 1 lemon

Method

01 To prepare shortbread:

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

02 With mixer on high speed and using the paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 2 -3 mins.

Add all the egg yolks and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved and mixture is light, about 4 - 5 mins.

Add the lemon juice and mix until well-combined, about 2 mins.

03 Switch mixer to low speed and add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 batches.

Mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix. You will get a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 2 balls and flattened it to 2.5 cm/1 inch thick disks. Cling wrap each disk and freeze for 60 mins.

04 Add the lemon zest to the jam. Mix well. Set aside.

05 To assemble the shortbread sandwich cake:

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F.

06 After chilling, unwrap one disk of dough and cut to 2.5 cm/1 inch bars. Place the remaining bars back into the freezer leaving one bar outside. Take the bar of dough and using a grater, grate it over your lined/greased 20 cm/8 inch baking pan. Repeat with the remaining bars from the freezer until all the bars of dough are grated.

Press down lightly, making sure you cover the corners.

07 Cover with 6 or 8 tbsp jam. Spread the jam evenly over the top.

08 Repeat step 06 with second disk. Grate all the bars of dough from the second disk over the jam and press down lightly.

09 Bake in the preheated oven at 180 C/350 F for 55 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the top is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with icing sugar, if desired.

Let cool completely on the wire rack before removing from the baking pan and cutting into desired shapes or sizes.

They taste best served warm.

Notes

This Shortbread Sandwich Cake can keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator if stored in a covered airtight container.

You can use more or less jam, according to your preferred taste.