AMARETTO SOUR DRIZZLE CAKE
The simple lemon drizzle cake is taken to a new level with the addition of fragrant Amaretto. We’ve decorated ours with classic cocktail cherries for a retro spin, but you could use glacé cherries instead.
Hands-on time 20min. Cooking time about 40min. Serves 20
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, softened
✶ 250g (9oz) caster sugar
✶ 4 large eggs
✶ 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
✶ 1½tsp baking powder
✶ 75g (3oz) ground almonds
✶ Zest of 2 lemons
✶ 4tbsp Amaretto
✶ for the amaretto drizzle Juice of 1 lemon
✶ 50ml (2fl oz) Amaretto
✶ for the icing 300g (11oz) icing sugar, sifted
✶ 1tbsp Amaretto
✶ 3-4tbsp lemon juice
✶ 20 maraschino cherries with
✶ stems, to decorate
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 30.5 x 20.5cm (12 x 8in) tray bake tin with baking parchment.
2 For the cake, put all the ingredients, except the Amaretto, into a large bowl and mix with a handheld electric whisk until smooth, about 2min. Whisk in the Amaretto briefly.
3 Spoon into the prepared tin and level. Bake in oven for 35-40min until risen and lightly golden. Remove from oven; set aside.
4 To make the drizzle, put the lemon juice and Amaretto in a small pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 1min. Poke holes over the cake with a skewer and slowly pour half the lemon syrup over the cake. Leave to sink in for 10min, then slowly pour the remaining syrup over the cake. Leave to cool in the tin.
5 For the icing, mix the icing sugar with the Amaretto and enough lemon juice to make a thick, spreadable consistency. Pour over the cake and quickly spread to cover. Dot with maraschino cherries. Leave to set, then cut into squares.
PER SERVING 306cals, 4g protein, 14g fat (7g saturates), 40g carbs (32g total sugars), 1g fibre