I'm a cake addict. Have been for as long as I can remember. Sometimes the mood takes you and nothing but a dangerously indulgent combination of sugar and fat, in the form of cake, will do. My favourite is usually the toxic 50:50 fat:sugar ratio found in cheesecake. For those who hanker for the citrus in moments of weakness, a light lemon sponge cake is the ticket. Why not try this sponge laced with lemon zest and topped with a sugar/lemon glaze.
Ingredients
4 large eggs, room temperature
8oz sifted flour
8oz caster sugar
8oz unsalted butter, room temperature
Zest of 2 lemons
For the butter icing/topping
Juice of 2 lemons
100g caster sugar
50g icing sugar
100g unsalted butter
Method
1) Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 4, 180oC or 160oC fan, and line 2 large round shallow cake tins with parchment paper.
2) Cream together the caster sugar and butter until combined and fluffy.
3) Beat the eggs together separately and add to the mixture gradually.
4) Fold in the flour and grated lemon zest until the mixture is fully combined.
5) Use a tablespoon to divide the mixture equally between the 2 cake tins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
6) When ready, take the cakes out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
7) Whilst still warm, spread a mix of half of the lemon juice and all of the sugar over the top half of the cake with a egg or pastry brush.
8) Make the butter icing by combining the other half of the lemon juice, the icing sugar (sifted) and the butter. (Be careful not to add too much lemon juice as it makes the icing runny!)
9) When both halves of the cake are cool assemble the cake by filling the middle with the butter icing and spreading any leftover lemon and sugar glaze over the top.
To see the Mary Berry Lemon drizzle cake recipe that inspired this post:
