I know, I got rather fanciful with the lavender which is blooming in the garden right now. It smells so nice and lavender and lemon go very well together . . . but there is no lavender in this recipe, just lemon.
To be honest I am not quite sure how I feel about eating lavender. I have done . . . and I made lavender sugar every year, but the jury is still out as to whether we love it or not.
As a decoration, absolutely . . . in my underwear drawer, pour surement . . . actually flavouring my food, not so in love . . .
We were having all of the missionaries over for our annual Summer BBQ that we love do for them, and that they love to come to and I wanted to make a dessert that was not only easy, but that the girls would love . . .
Girls are always watching their waistlines, young men, not so much . . . so I decided to bake a Lemon Drizzle Loaf and serve it with fresh berries and squirty cream.
They were free to put it together as they wanted to . . . with or without cake or cream. More berries, less berries . . .
This is a simple loaf with lovely lemon flavours and a deliciously tart lemon glaze. You can use either confectioners sugar in the glaze or granulated sugar. On a lemon drizzle cake, I like the granulated best . . . but you go with whatever floats YOUR boat!
Moist, delicious, lemony . . . proper lemony . . . with a sweet/tart crunchy crust on top . . .
What's not to love about that???
You apply the drizzle while the loaf is still quite warm . . . some gets absorbed, some doesn't. Some pools in the corners . . .
There was none left at the end of the BBQ. NONE! It went down a real treat! Go figure.
Yield: 1 largish loaf
Author: Marie Rayner
Proper Lemon Drizzle Loaf
A moist and delicious loaf filled with lovely lemon flavours. You can either top it with an icing sugar glaze or a granulated sugar glaze. I prefer the granulated sugar one as it adds a bit of interest and crunch. Its your choice. Goes wonderfully with a hot cuppa or a bowl of berries and some whipped cream.ingredients:
For the cake:- 3 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 170g self raising flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 170g caster sugar (3/4 cup + 2 tsp)
- 170g butter, at room temperature (3/4 cup)
- the finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- the juice of 2 lemons
- 130g icing sugar (1 cup) (You can also use 190g/1 cup granulated sugar for a grittier finish and crunch, which I prefer)
instructions:
How to cook Proper Lemon Drizzle Loaf
- Preheat your oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter your loaf tin and line with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until quite fragrant. Beat in the butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a third at a time, until smooth. If it starts to curdle add a bit of the flour and continue. Fold in the flour until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and risen and the top springs back when lightly touched.
- Prick the top all over with a toothpick.
- Whisk together the sugar and juice of the lemons until smooth. Spoon over the warm cake allowing it to be absorbed. Let cool in the tin. Once cold lift out and cut into slices to serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
If you are looking for a superdy-duperdy lemon loaf to bake for your family, you can't really go wrong with this one!! Oh I do so love it when people gobble up what I bake. Don't you?
