Recipe: Lemon drizzle cake
This is just one of the delicious recipes we teach at Bettys Cookery School. Have a go at home – we think you and your guests will love this moist and zesty cake.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 120g margarine
- 120g caster sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 2 medium eggs beaten (1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk only)
- 170g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 30ml whole milk
For the lemon syrup
- 35g caster sugar
- 25ml water
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 40ml limoncello
To finish the cake
- 50g lemon curd
Method
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan assisted).
- Grease the base and sides of a deep 15cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.
- Cream together the margarine, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
- Gradually add a third of the beaten egg mix. Ensure that the egg is fully absorbed after each addition otherwise the mixture will curdle.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture. Then add the milk and the remaining egg mix in stages. Lightly beat on the lowest setting on your mixer until the mixture is combined.
- Spoon into the prepared cake tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and ‘springy’ to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling wire. Once cool to the touch remove the cake from the tin.
For the lemon syrup
- Dissolve caster sugar, water and lemon juice in a small heavy-based pan. Bring to the boil and then reduce until syrupy.
- Remove from the heat and add the limoncello.
To assemble the cake
- Once cool, slice the cake into two discs using a serrated knife. Drizzle or lightly brush a half of the lemon syrup over each of the cut halves of the cake and then spread the lemon curd over one half. Sandwich the cake back together.
- Brush the remaining lemon syrup over the top of the cake.
- Finish with a drizzle of water icing or a sprinkle of icing sugar. Store in an air-tight container to keep the cake fresh.
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