Lemon Drizzle Cake



The Boy has many culinary vices but he is particularly keen on two things at the moment - sushi and lemon drizzle cake. To appease him, I've been tweaking my recipe in the hope that I will one day get him to citrus nirvana. This is definitely my best batch yet!

Lemon Drizzle Cake

For 8 hungry people

For the cake

225g unsalted butter, softened

225g golden caster sugar

4 medium eggs

zest of two large lemons

225g self raising flour

For the syrup topping

85g caster sugar

juice of 2 lemons

 - Preheat the oven to 180c.

 - Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. This is easiest in a food mixer but if, like me, you don't have the luxury of technology, get your mixing arm out. Just think of the calorie off-set!

 - Mix in the eggs, one at a time. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a tbsp of the flour and continue.

 - Sift in the flour then add the lemon zest and fold the mixture.

 - Line a 8c21cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper and pour the mixture in, leveling with a spatula.

 - Bake for 45 - 50 minutes. A knife or skewer should come out clean with no batter sticking to it.

 - Leave to cool a little while you mix the lemon juice and sugar together to form a syrup. I find that microwaving the lemons for one minute loosens up the juice. Roll them on a hard flat surface before slicing them in two and juicing them.

 - Prick the cake all over with a skewer or fork and pour the syrup over.