Lemon drizzle cake

Zesty and sweet, light but satisfying, lemon drizzle cake has achieved iconic teatime status. This version has far less sugar than conventional recipes and it still upholds the standard effortlessly. Every time I put it on the table, it’s gone within minutes.

MAKES 10 SLICES

125g unsalted butter, softened

75g golden caster sugar, plus 1tbsp to

finish

Finely grated zest and juice

of 2 large lemons

100g fine plain wholemeal flour

2tsp baking powder

100g ground almonds

25g poppy seeds (optional)

3 medium eggs

A splash of milk or water

1

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/gas 4. Line a 1kg loaf tin with baking paper.

2

Put the butter, sugar and lemon zest into a large bowl and whisk together until light and fluffy.

3

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and the poppy seeds.

4

Add one egg to the beaten mixture, with a spoonful of the flour mix, and beat until combined. Repeat to incorporate the remaining eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour each time and scraping down the sides with a spatula now and then.

5

Tip the remaining flour into the mixture and fold in lightly but thoroughly. Fold in the juice of one lemon to loosen the mix, with an extra splash of milk or water if needed to bring to a good dropping consistency.

6

Tip the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and make deep holes all over the surface of the cake with a skewer.

7

Combine the juice of the other lemon with the tbsp sugar – don’t worry if it doesn’t dissolve. Spoon this drizzle all over the warm cake in its tin. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin and slicing.