Instructions

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.

Prepare a 15cm (6") square cake tin.

For the sponge, beat together the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix again to combine.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add the ground almonds and milk and beat again until the cake mixture is smooth.

Spoon into the prepared tin, spread level and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until very pale and soft. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

Cut the sponge into nine perfectly neat squares, leveling the top as necessary.

Roll the marzipan into a large square. Cut into nine squares to exactly fit each sponge square. Lightly drop a little golden syrup onto each marzipan square and place on top of the cakes. Pipe a buttercream rosette on top of each cake.

Chill the cakes until the buttercream is firm.

Cover the cakes with yellow fondant icing, maintaining the rounded shape of the buttercream.