【Cake】
☆Preparation
Line a cake tin with cooking paper or lightly butter it and dust with flour.
Grate the yellow part of the lemon peel thinly.
Combine cake flour and baking powder.
Melt the butter thoroughly in the microwave or over a double boiler.
Preheat the oven to 200℃.

Whisk the eggs until smooth and add granulated sugar, then mix together. Beat with a hand mixer on high speed until the mixture becomes thick and white. (It may take about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the eggs.) Add vanilla bean paste and mix on low speed for 2 minutes.

Add the cake flour and baking powder mixture in three batches, and the melted butter in two batches, alternating between the two. The order should be "flour → butter → flour → butter → flour". Sift the cake flour and baking powder mixture and fold gently with a spatula. The butter tends to sink to the bottom, so fold it up from the bottom.
Add the grated lemon peel and mix well. Make sure to scrape off the batter from the edge of the bowl and fold it in.

Pour the batter into the cake tin and lightly smooth the surface to even out the color. Drop the tin lightly on the counter a few times.
Reduce the oven temperature to 170℃ and bake for 45 minutes. Once done, drop the tin lightly on the work surface a few times.
Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then remove it from the tin and wrap it in plastic wrap.

【Syrup】
Add hot water to granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Microwave for 20 seconds (600W), then bring to a boil. Add lemon juice and brandy, then mix and let it cool.

【Lemon curd】
☆Preparation
Cut the butter into small pieces.
Prepare hot water for a double boiler.

Whisk the eggs until smooth, then add granulated sugar and mix well. Add lemon juice and mix well.
Put the mixture in a small saucepan and heat over the double boiler. Stir continuously until it thickens. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the butter. Mix well.

Trim the raised part of the cake and slice in half. Cut each slice into a 15cm square.

Place one slice in the square ring and brush with syrup. Add the lemon curd and spread evenly.
Brush the cut side of the remaining slice with syrup and place on top of the lemon curd with the syrup side facing down. The brown bottom side of the cake should be facing up.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before removing from the ring. Cut into 6 equal pieces, dust with powdered sugar by covering half of each piece diagonally with paper.
★As the cake contains cream, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The cake may become slightly firm when chilled, but it will soften at room temperature after being removed from the fridge.