Lemon drizzle cake, from Oliver Peyton's book, 'British Baking'.

When I was in London last year, I had tea and toast in the Peyton and Byrne restaurant at the Wallace Collection. They were selling copies of Oliver Peyton's (of Great British Menu fame) 'The National Cookbook', which I bought. This year my Mum and Dad were in London and, again, had tea and toast (great marmalade and jam) at the Wallace. This year they were selling Oliver's new book, 'British Baking'. Normally, I would borrow a cookbook from my Mum to take note of the recipes that I'm interested in, but this time there were so many recipes I wanted to do, it was easier to buy my own copy.

I've not made a cake in a while, so I decided on the lemon drizzle cake, as I'd bought a few lemons for the odd gin and tonic! Plus it's a fairly simple and straight forward loaf cake.

To make this cake yourself you need:

• 175g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175g caster sugar (I used less, about 125g)
• Pinch of salt
• Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons (this make the cake smell wonderful whilst it's cooking)
• 2 eggs
• 75ml milk
• 175g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
Beat the softened butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and whisk well until fully incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the milk.Sift the flour and baking powder together and gently fold into the mixture until well combined, but don't over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level off the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

 

Remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. When the cake is completely cook, transfer to a serving plate.

Make the drizzle for the glaze by heating 100g caster sugar and the juice of one lemon in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid becomes syrupy (don't let it boil or the sugar will crystallise).

Prick the top of the cake all over with a skewer and then pour the syrup over the top, letting it sink into the holes, to become absorbed by the cake, and drizzle down the sides. The cake will keep in an airtight tin for 3-4 days.

If you like baking, you'll love this book, with its headings of biscuits, cakes, fairy cakes and icings, fruity cakes, tarts and pies, puddings, breakfast goods, a cup of tea and a bun and special occasions, there's plenty of good baking recipes to choose from.

By the way, it tasted great.

TTFN

Louise