I considered adding up how many times I mentioned lemon drizzle cake in the Beaufort Scales mysteries, then decided that was just kind of a silly thing to do. I mean, they’re English cozy mysteries with a heavy emphasis on the restorative powers of tea and cake.
There’s a lot of lemon drizzle cake consumed.
Which is all good and lovely, but, you know. All cake is good. But some cake is more gooder than others (is a word. I’m a writer, I know). And lemon drizzle cake is one of those cakes that I always think, well, traditional. Very English. Definitely Women’s Institute approved. Nice. Yeah. nice.
It’s just not very exciting, though, is it? A bit of sponge, some lemon. Yawn.
Plus, Chocolate cake is obviously the best cake, so I don’t know why we’re even having this conversation.
Well, okay. Other than coconut, almond and blueberry cake.
Or banana cake.
Or christmas cake without the marzipan rubbish.
Okay, okay. Chocolate cake is not the be-all and end-all of cakes. But, still. Lemon. Eh. I prefer it with hot water and ginger, really.
And then I made this cake.
Which is glorious.
And sticky.
And a bit like eating puffy clouds of lemony delight, which make your taste buds turn somersaults and your heart a little happier.
All hail lemon drizzle cake!
Lemon Drizzle Cake of Happiness
For cake:
175g self-raising flour (obviously, I had none, so you can substitute plain flour with about 2 tsp baking powder)
1/2 tsp baking powder
175 g salted butter, softened
175g white sugar
the zest of two lemons
3 eggs
For drizzle:
the juice of two lemons
115g sugar
Pre-heat oven to 180C, and line a loaf tin with waxed paper.
Mix the flour and baking powder, then set aside.
Combine the butter and sugar — I used a standing mixer to get it reasonably light and fluffy, but without fussing too much. Sugar crystals don’t hurt in this recipe.
Add lemon zest and eggs, mixing until just combined.
Fold in dry ingredients.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached. While cake is baking and smelling rather gorgeous, mix your sugar and lemon juice. Pop back and give it another mix every now and then, until everything’s pretty dissolved and the cake’s out of the oven.
With the cake still in the tin, stab your cake repeatedly and enthusiastically with a toothpick or wooden skewer, or, if you’re me, with a fork because that’s all you have. Spoon enough drizzle mix over the cake that it’s fairly wet, then leave it to soak in. Come back every fifteen minutes or so and add more drizzle until it’s all used up.
Let cake cool fully. Devour.
Now let me know below, lovely people – what’s your favourite lemon-y recipe? What recipes have you resisted for ages before hitting on the perfect one? Tell me all!
baking, cake recipe, cozy mysteries, lemon drizzle cake, recipes
Oh my goodness! I’m going to have to start baking again aren’t I? I LOOOOoooooove lemon cake
This is so good and so easy! Buuuut it’s getting toward your summer, so you could probably get out of it if you really wanted 😉
Going to make this cake today for Christmas. I have been wanting to it since I first saw your post on IG, lol. It’s now or never. It seems so simple but I love lemon anything.
And now you’ve reminded me of it, I’m making some too! I shall think of you with an electric beater while I’m mixing it all with a fork on the boat… 😉I hope you enjoy it!