My friend Kathy Delgado, from Vintageweave, gives me lemons, freshly picked off her tree so… I make a second Lemon Drizzle Cake in as many days – obviously. Kathy is one of those very rare people who always brings exactly the right hostess gift – I’ve had tea towels, heavenly smelling inserts for my suitcase, magnum bottles of rosé and now fat ripe juicy lemons. Visit her and her gorgeous shop, Vintageweave, on 3rd Street filled to bursting with French treasures – it will be my one stop shop for Christmas, for transforming my office into a frilly boudoir Marie Antoinette would be proud of and just a favorite place to go to get inspired. Thank you Kathy for being so wonderful – and your gift tag says it all – your thoughtfulness always touches my heart. And yes I will bring you cake!
This light buttery lemon cake packs a flavorful punch was a big hit yesterday at the Get Your Knit On tea party. Such a hit that there was very little left over – so I’m making it up again today for Sunday tea.
It’s a super easy all-in-one cake – all the ingredients are dumped into the mixer bowl of my Kitchenaid and whipped up together. [Thinking KitchenAid – Majestic Yellow
I have adapted the recipe from the The Great British Book of Baking – and I’ve also included metric and cups. I always weigh my ingredients as a rule but today the battery of my electric scale died and I didn’t want to leave the house so I had to adapt and go back to the more traditional American way of baking.
Lucy’s Tips
Make sure the eggs, milk and butter are at room temperature – this ensures a smooth cake batter and helps to avoid the mixture curdling.
I like to bake with Kerrygold unsalted butter – this is especially important with such a buttery cake.
Sift your flour and baking powder for an extra light cake – can you see a heart in the flour – I can.
Lucy’s Lemon Drizzle Cake
200g (8 oz) unsalted butter, very soft but not runny
250g (1 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
finely grated zest of 2 medium unwaxed lemons
250g (2 cups) self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
100ml milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon extract
For the glaze
finely grated zest of 1 medium unwaxed lemon
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
juice of 2 lemons
1 springform cake tin approx 20cm/8 inch diameter
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the cake tin with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and then pour in the beaten eggs and milk. Beat with whisk on medium speed until all the ingredients are throughly incorporated and smooth. Stop once to scrape down sides if necessary.
3. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake tin and spread out. Put in the middle of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and firm to touch on the top. A skewer should come out clean when inserted in the center.
4. Whilst the cake is baking make the glaze by mixing together the zest, sugar and lemon juice.
5. When the cake is cooked remove from the oven and let cool by standing the tin on a wire rack. Prick the top of the hot cake with a cocktail stick and spoon the lemon glaze over the top so that it soaks into the cake through the holes as it cools. This is the drizzle part!
6. When the cake is completely cool remove from the tin and peel off the paper from the bottom. Place of a cake stand/pretty cake plate – this Villeroy & Boch China Petite Fleur Cake Plate, was a treat to myself – reminds me of tea outside with my sister Hettie on the lawn at Lucknam Park – now I know she’d love this cake. Cut Lemon Drizzle Cake into thick slices and serve and dream of chasing pheasants in the English countryside.
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