Lemon drizzle cake is such a lovely treat. This loaf cake version is light and airy, yet moist too as it has lemon drizzled over the top to soak in and give a wonderful flavour.
The key to the recipe is really the mixing of the ingredients for the cake. It is essential to get as much air into the cake as possible and keep it in as the flour and ground almonds are stirred in. Then the cake will rise and be light and airy. The only thing remaining will then be to drizzle some sugared lemon juice over the top to create a great tasting cake.
It is a simple recipe and can all be done by hand, though the creaming and beating will take a good few minutes.
Mine turned out very well, though I think I could have poked deeper holes in and drizzled more slowly. But still it was a very light cake and tasted fantastic.
For the cake:
- 175g(13 tbsp) softened unsalted butter
- 175g(7/8 cup) caster sugar(or granulated)
- zest from 2 lemons
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 medium eggs(large in USA), beaten
- 100g(3/4 cup+1 tsp) plain flour
- 75g(3/4 cup) ground almonds
- A little milk to thin the batter slightly
For the drizzle:
- zest from one lemon
- juice from 2 lemons
- 100g(1/2 cup) demerara sugar
Method:
Grease and line as 2lb loaf tine(23cmx13 – 9×5 inches), or grease and flour
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy(this will take some time – 5 mins by hand).
Add the zest of lemon and beat in with the egg. Add the egg a little at a time beating all the while and keeping the mixture light and airy.
Add the salt and the flour, sifting if possible, and mix in gently with a metal spoon.
Add the ground almonds and stir in gently until fully combined, trying not to knock the air out.
Add enough milk, and mix in, to allow the batter to drop slowly from the spoon.
Transfer the batter to the loaf tin and spread throughout, levelling the top.
Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven.
While the cake is still hot from the oven sprinkle the lemon zest on the top and poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Mix the lemon juice and demerara sugar together and drizzle over the top a little at a time, allowing the lemon to sink into the cake before adding more.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the loaf tin before removing and serving.