Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Drizzle Cake - MS Word document for downloading

This first recipe is from “Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book” and is the one we served at Presentation Evening. Mary suggests a lemon icing for the top. As the pupils would be icing this freshly made cake, I didn’t want to risk cake crumbs getting caught up in the icing as they were spreading it. This can happen in seconds and completely spoil the look of the cake, so I opted for a crunchy topping instead. It also meant peace of mind for me, knowing there was one less cake to need icing when cold!

I love the convenience of this crunchy lemon topping. It should be poured over the hot cake and left to cool. So quick and easy! Although I might have started off baking with enthusiasm, I have often felt I don’t want to make an icing once the cake is cold. This solves that problem!

If you use margarine from a tub, cakes can be made very quickly, just using a bowl and a wooden spoon. (Make sure it is not a spread, though. That doesn’t make good cakes). Packet margarine or butter usually needs an electric whisk to break up the lumps of fat.

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As with the other cake recipes, I’ll give the recipe we used at school and then the loaf recipe I use at home, (simply because loaf shaped cakes fit into my freezer more easily). The crunchy topping would be fine poured over the tray bake. You could use the lemon icing on the loaf cake if you wanted to. (The lemon icing might get damaged in the freezer, though!)

Iced Lemon Tray Bake.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 35-40 minutes at 180C - Gas mark 4.

You will need a 12″x 9″ (30 x23 cm) tin

Ingredients and Shopping List.

• 8oz (225g) soft tub margarine
• 8oz (225g) caster sugar
• 10oz (275g) self raising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• grated rind of 2 lemons

For the icing:

• About 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8oz (225g) icing sugar

Method.

1. Pre-heat the oven- 180C - Gas Mark 4
2. Grease and base line the tin.
3. Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl.
4. Beat well for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
5. Working quickly, turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.
6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes, until the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed with your finger tips. (Do not be tempted to open the oven door in the first 10-15 minutes of cooking time, or your cake will fall in the middle).
7. Leave to cool in the tin.

To make the icing:

1. Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar together to give a runny consistency.
2. Spread evenly over the cake and leave to set.

Tangy Lemon Cake.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time:1¼ - 1½ hours.
You will need a 2lb loaf tin (9″x5″ or 23 cm)

Ingredients and Shopping List.

• 175g (6oz) butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 175g (6oz) self raising flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• grated rind of 1 orange

For the syrup:

• 115g (4oz) caster sugar or granulated sugar
• juice of 2 lemons

Method.

1. Pre-heat the oven: 180C- Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and base line the loaf tin.

Either:

1. Put all the ingredients into the processor with the double - bladed knife.
2. Process for about 30 seconds.
3. Add 1 tablespoon boiling water.
4. Process for about 5 seconds.

Or:

1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes.

Then:

1. Working very quickly, turn the mixture into the tin, smoothing the top.
2. Bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until set in the centre, well-risen and golden.
3. As before, don’t open the oven door for the first 10-15 minutes of cooking time.
4. Leave to cool in the tin.

To make the syrup:

1. Gently heat the sugar in the lemon juice until just melted.
2. Boil rapidly for 15 seconds (Take care - it will be hotter than boiling water)
3. Pour the syrup over the cake in the tin and leave to cool completely.