Monday 22 February 2010

Lemon Drizzle Cake

This Lemon Drizzle Cake comes courtesy of my new cookbook, The Hairy Biker’s Family Cookbook, mum's know best! This is the first cookbook I’ve bought in a good while and after watching the series that accompanies it I was sold. I love cookbooks that focus on great recipes’ that have been handed down through the generations and this book delivers exactly that. There are so many wonderful recipes that I want to try and what better way than to start off with this mouth-watering luscious Lemon Drizzle Cake. It’s one of those cakes that one slice is never enough. The sponge is so fluffy yet moist with its sweet tart flavour and finished off with a crunchy tangy sugar topping. If you love citrus cakes I recommend you try this recipe!

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Serves 10

Ingredients
2 small unwaxed lemons, well scrubbed
275g granulated sugar
175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the tin
200g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
3 large free-range eggs

Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/Gas 4. Line the base of a 900g (2lb) non-stick loaf tin with baking parchment and butter the tin well. Finely grate the zest of the lemons. Put 175g of the sugar in a food processor with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs and lemon zest and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture is just combined and has a thick, smooth texture.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 35 minutes or until well risen and pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Squeeze one of the lemons to get about 3 tablespoons of juice and mix this with the remaining 100g of granulated sugar.

Turn the cake out onto a wire rack set about a tray or plate. Remove the baking parchment and gently turn the cake the right way up. Make about 50 deep holes in the top of the cake with a skewer.

Slowly and gradually, spoon over half the lemon sugar, allowing it to thoroughly coat the top of the cake and drizzle down the sides. Leave the cake to stand for 5 minutes, then do the same with the remaining lemon sugar. Leave to set for at least an hour or until the sugar and lemon has crystallised. Serve the cake in thick slices with a nice cup of tea.

32 comments:

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

That looks really delicious. I can just about taste it. I will have to try this one :P

Marie Rayner said...

oh yum, that looks soooooo tasty!!

Finla said...

I watched all the 6 episode from then and loved all of them. Cake looks so so yumm.

Lucie said...

I have loved the Hairy Bikers new series too, I must buy this book. I adore Lemon Cake - always nice to try variations of the recipe. Your presentation is beautiful- as usual. Lucie x

The Girl said...

I love the lemon drizzle cake. I love it almost too much.

Think this could be a project for the weekend...

Unknown said...

Thanks for the recipe.
My 2 year old daughter and I will be making it this very afernoon for her daddy - let's hope he's home in time to get a slice - if he's too late, there may only be crumbs left!

Reeni said...

I wish I had a big slice of this lovely cake for breakfast this morning Maria! The name 'Hairy Bikers' is so funny!

Diana's Cocina said...

This sounds perfect. I wish i had a slcie with my cup of joe this morning.

Anna's kitchen table said...

Yum yum yum! My mouth's watering at the thought of the zesty topping! Gorgeous.

Lucie said...

Love it Maria!. How can you post Rocky Road when you know I am on a diet?! hahaha

Chele said...

This looks great. So moist. I can almost taste the zing of the lemons from here!

John said...

hi
I have just mixed together the ingredients, didn't use unsalted butter, I used utterly butterly which doesn't contain that much salt, I am not using lemon rind as I don't like rind but I will definitely be adding lemon juice!

I thought you would normally use caster sugar for this cake?! I am using granulated normal sugar!
ooh oven is nearly ready...

John said...

I am just about to put mine in the oven, I used utterly butterly, has a bit of salt in it, hopefully won't be that bad?! don't like lemon peel but I will definitely be adding lemon juice, Also, was just wondering, shouldn't be using caster sugar?! I used granulated as instructed!
can't wait to try it... the oven is nearly hot enough!

Kayl said...

I made this last night, and it's nearly all gone already, it's the best cake i've ever made. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Lindsay said...

Just made it - delicious. Thank you xx

Unknown said...

Baking this cake for my mums birthday in 2 weeks. Looks AMAZING!!

Unknown said...

Baking this cake for my mums birthday in 2 weeks. Looks AMAZING!!

Lisa said...

Better late than never - me, not you!
I found this recipe a few days ago and made it. Fantastic! I've written about it on my blog (post dated 28-10-10 headed "Jam for the Ladies") and have included a link to your blog. Hope you don't mind!

Your blog is firmly on my favourites list!

Best wishes from a former Woking resident!!

Anonymous said...

I'm going to have a bash at making this cake tonight .... Fingers crossed all will go alright and I will have a beautiful cake at the end of it!

Anonymous said...

Just made your delicious cake and will be replacing my usual lemon drizzle recipe with this! Perfect!

Many thanks.

Sarah x

catherine said...

just sent this recipe to my daughter (helen) holidaying in roscommon Sth ireland. Awaiting results.

Catherine

Ellie said...

I just made this cake and it tasted absolutely amazing!! Instead of making it as a loaf i split it into two, making a sandwich cake. Will definitely use this recipe all the time now :) Thanks so much!!

Julia said...

I make it all the time, my kids are fed up of it now though. Especially Charlie.

Lia said...

You are a goddess, the most PERFECT cake!! Best if you let it sit a couple of days too!!

Do you drizzle on the Lemon/sugar when warm, or cooled???

Lia

Maria♥ said...

Hi Lia

I pour over the lemon syrup/sugar when still warm and out of the oven.

Glad you like the cake and thanks for the compliment :)

Maria
x

lesley said...

Great recipe. Used 2 lemons for juice for the drizzle. Drizzled half the juice/sugar mix and then added icing sugar to the other half and then drizzled that over so slightly iced.
Lovely!

Angie said...

I just put mine in the oven, fingers crossed it turns out as well as yours!

Tracey said...

Maria, thank you so much for the link. Your receipe worked perfectly. Hubby already had 2 slices and loves it. Very tart sugar/lemon syrup so may not put so much lemon in next time....oh yes, there will be another one and it will probably be tomorrow. Tracey x

Janine Lopez said...

hi there, just googled lemon drizzle cake and came across your page, definitely going to try it tomorrow, my next door neighbour has got a lemon tree thats absolutely laden and doesnt know what to do with them, would be rather un-neighbourly to let them go to waste dont you think!! one little question, if you grease your tin well, why do you have to put paper aswell? to me thats always the worst part of the job! looking forward to being a regular reader of your blog, best wishes from Mallorca xx

Anonymous said...

This really is an excellent recipe, works everytime. I've doubled it for two cakes with great results.

I've used butter and stork with equal success

The only thing I would say is that it can take longer than 35 mins, so make sure you check your cake. Clean skewer required.

Your page is bookmarked! Thank you. Xo

Species 8472 said...

Made this for a bake sale - really nice. My lemons were very small so juiced two lemons and grated three. Took longer than 35 minutes for me too, but end result was very tasty!

Unknown said...

This sounds delicious..will cake freeze well? Thank you