Tea Blog

Summer weather is finally on its way here in the UK, and I’ve had a painter working on the outside of the house. Of course, he needs to be kept well fed and watered!

So this week I’ve been baking lemon drizzle cakes—plural—because they seem to be disappearing rather quickly. This is a cake you can make either by hand or with a mixer, and after trying both methods, I can honestly say there’s no noticeable difference in the result.

Oven: 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4

You will need: Two greased 1 lb loaf tins

Ingredients:

• 8 oz butter
• 8 oz caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 9 oz self-raising flour
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)

For the icing:

• 4 oz icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon water or lemon juice

A quick reminder: it’s always best to use eggs at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (or use a mixer). Add the eggs one at a time, including a little flour with each addition to prevent curdling, and beat well.

Add the grated lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon. Fold in the flour by hand, or mix on the lowest speed if using a machine.

Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for approximately 40 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Leave the cakes in the tins to cool slightly. Meanwhile, mix the remaining lemon juice with a teaspoon of sugar. Prick holes in the tops of the cakes and pour the sweetened lemon juice evenly over them.

Once cool, remove the cakes from the tins. Mix the icing sugar with lemon juice or water to form a thin glaze, then pour over the cakes, allowing it to run down the sides.

Steve the painter tells me these cakes go perfectly with a nice cup of

English tea
—or coffee!

~ JB