Lemon drizzle cake

Mum was on the quest for the perfect lemon drizzle cake earlier this year and after several promising, but disappointingly un-lemony results from cookbook recipes, she conjured up this little gem.

Ingredients:

• 6oz margarine
• 6oz caster sugar
• 6oz self raising flour
• 3 large eggs
• Zest and juice of 1 large, unwaxed lemon
• 2-3tbsps caster/granulated sugar for topping

Method

1. Preheat the over to 150-175 degrees C. Grease a small loaf tin (I use cake release http://www.lakeland.co.uk/cake-release!REG/F/product/4198 it’s expensive but gives perfect results every time) and sprinkle with a little flour. This will help prevent your cake from sticking to the tin.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar, either by hand or in a food processor until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time then fold in the flour using a big metal spoon and a figure of eight motion (if you’re using a food processor don’t worry about the folding, just mix)
4. Grate in the zest of the lemon and add one half of the juice. Stir well and pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin.
5. Bake for approximately 30 minutes (may need a little longer depending on your oven) or until a skewer or knife inserted in the cake comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool for ten minutes in the tin, then mix together the remaining lemon juice and sugar in a bowl, poke a few holes in the cake using a knife and drizzle the mixture over the cake. It will sink it and make it all nice and tangy and moist.
7. After half an hour or so turn the cake out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.