Cakes & Bakes: Lemon drizzle cake

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Slice of home-made lemon drizzle cake on a vintage plate | H is for Home #recipe #lemon #cake #baking #lemondrizzle

Justin loves a good lemon drizzle cake. Me? I’m very ‘meh’ **shrugs shoulders** – I can take or leave anything made with citrus… unless it comes in a glass with ice and it’s got either gin or rum in it!

This very simple recipe was taken from Baking – Simple Cookery Series. Make it as a loaf or round – whatever your preference.

Slice of home-made lemon drizzle cake on a vintage plate | H is for Home #recipe #lemon #cake #baking #lemondrizzle

Lemon drizzle cake

Ingredients
  

  • 125 g/4oz butter or margarine softened
  • 175 g/6oz caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 175 g/6oz self raising flour
  • 2 lemons preferably unwaxed
  • 50 g/1¾oz granulated sugar
  •  
  • Lemon drizzle cake ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4, 10 minutes before baking
  • Lightly grease and line the base of an 18cm/7inch square tin with baking paper
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine and caster sugar until soft & fluffy
  • Beat the eggs, then gradually add a little of the egg to the creamed mixture, adding a tablespoon of flour after each addition
  • Finely grate the rind from one of the lemons and stir into the creamed mixture, beating well until smooth
  • Squeeze the juice from the lemon, strain, then stir into the mixture
  • Spoon into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes
  • Using a zester, remove the peel from the other lemon and mix with 25g/1oz of the granulated sugar and reserve
  • Squeeze & strain the juice into a small saucepan, add the rest of the granulated sugar and heat gently, stirring occasionally
  • When the sugar has dissolved, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until syrupy
  • Once out of the oven, prick the cake with a cocktail stick or fine skewer
  • Sprinkle the reserved lemon zest & sugar mixture over the top of the cake, drizzle over the syrup and leave to cool in the tin
  • Cut into squares and serve

Cakes & Bakes: Lemon & polenta berry squares

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lemon & polenta berry squares on a cake plate with vintage Denby 'Arabesque' teapot | H is for Home #cake #recipe

This week, I attempted a cake (or more rightly, a bake) that I’d not done before – lemon & polenta berry squares.
cover of 1001 cupcakes, cookies & other tempting treats cookbook

It’s taken from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & Other Tempting Treats. It turned out really well, the berries kept it lovely and moist and the polenta gave it a bit of a crunch.

ingredients to make lemon & polenta berry squares
Here’s the recipe:

lemon & polenta berry squares on a cake plate with vintage Denby 'Arabesque' teapot | H is for Home #cake #recipe

Lemon & polenta berry squares

Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 175 g/6oz butter plus extra for greasing
  • 175 g/6oz caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 100 g/3½oz ground almonds
  • 150 g/5½oz polenta
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • finely grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 300 g/10½oz frozen small berry fruits such as cranberries raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants (I used a mixture of bluberries and strawberries sliced in half)
  • icing sugar to decorate

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 23cm/9inch shallow square cake tin and line base with baking paper
  • Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light & fluffy, then gradually beat the eggs into the mixture until smooth
  • Add the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, lemon rind and juice and stir together until well mixed. Stir in the fruit of your choice
  • Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread out evenly
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
  • Sift icing sugar lightly over to decorate and cut into squares