Lemon drizzle cake

175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
2 unwaxed lemons
3 eggs
100g self-raising flour
75g ground almonds
A little milk
100g demerara sugar


1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Beat together the butter, caster sugar and the finely grated zest of 1 lemon until light and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt and the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined before adding the next.

2. Sift over the flour and fold in, followed by the almonds. Add just enough milk to bring the mixture to a dropping consistency (so that it falls off the spoon), then spoon into the prepared tin and even out the top. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, until a skewer comes out dry (crumbs clinging to it are fine).

3. Briefly mix together the remaining lemon zest, and the juice of both the lemons with the demerara sugar, then poke holes all over the top of the warm cake and pour over the drizzle, waiting for the cake to absorb one lot before adding the next.
4. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out.

Lemon drizzle cake with sunken chocolate chunks

 
Yields approximately 10 slices

For the cake:

• 225g unsalted butter or Stork, softened to room temperature
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, very lightly beaten in a bowl
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 150g dark chocolate (around 40% cocoa.  I use Bourneville), chopped into chunks

For the drizzle:

• Juice of 2 lemons
• 85g caster sugar or golden granulated or icing sugar

Pre-heat oven to 180C (or 160C for a fan oven) and line a loaf tin (I use a 21 x 8cm tin) with greaseproof paper.

Vigorously beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy (use a K-beater if using a freestanding mixer), then add the lightly beaten eggs, slowly mixing through.

Sift the flour and baking powder together three times, before adding a third to the batter.  Once incorporated, add another third, slowly beat in again and then add the remaining third.

Once all the flour is incorporated, add the lemon zest and mix until well combined.  If using chocolate, add and stir through before spooning the mixture into your tin.  Level the top with a spoon or spatula.

Bake at 180C (160C fan) for 5 mins, then reduce temperature to 160C (140C fan) and bake for another 60-75 minutes until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemon juice and sugar to make the drizzle.  If you don’t want the drizzle to be crunchy, gently heat it in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved in the lemon juice.  Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle - the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.

Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve.