Firstly make the cake. Preheat the oven to 180'C/Gas 4 and grease and line three 6-inch baking tins. Set aside.

Add the sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each time. With the last egg add a little of the flour to stop it curdling.

Add the rest of the flour and the lemon zest, mix well and then split between the three cake tins. Smooth and place in the centre of the oven to cook for 30-35 minutes until golden and you can pull a knife out from the centre clean.

Meanwhile, make the candied lemons. Slice the lemon into 1/8th of an inch slices. Pour the sugar, lemon juice and water into a large pan and heat until boiling. Turn down to a simmer and add the lemon slices to form one layer on the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently for around 15 minutes. Remove from the pan onto greaseproof paper and chill for an hour.

Remove the cooked cakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack. You want them to be completely cool before icing, so give them an hour at least. Once cool, trim the tops from two of the sponges so they are flat on the top and bottom using a bread knife.

Make the buttercream next. Add the icing sugar, butter and elderflower cordial to a large bowl and beat well until it comes together into a smooth frosting. Now it's time to construct the cake!

Place the first sponge on a flat surface and cover with a thick layer of lemon curd (approx 1-2 tablespoons). Smooth 1/3 of the frosting onto the second sponge, turn upside down and place on top of the lemon curd. Press down gently, then repeat with the next layer using the same quantities of lemon curd and frosting.

Using a spatula, spread the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake, and smooth around the sides. You can make a little extra if you want your cake completely covered, or you can leave it 'semi-naked' like my cake!

Decorate the top of the cake with the candied lemon slices however you desire, and your cake is ready to be enjoyed with a cup of tea. How very quintessentially British!