Mary Berry's been making lemon drizzle cake since the 1960s, and this is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe, you will need a 30x23cm/12x9in traybake or roasting tin. Each serving provides 290 kcal, 4g protein, 38.5g carbohydrates (of which 25g sugars), 13.5g fat (of which 8g saturates), 0.7g fiber and 0.6g salt.
Ingredients
- 225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 275g/10oz self-raising flour
- 2 level tsp baking powder
- 4 free-range eggs
- 4 tbsp milk
- 2 unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest only
- 1 heaped tbsp very finely chopped lemon verbena (optional)
- For the glaze
- 175g/6oz granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, juice only
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease the tin with butter and line the base with baking paper.
- Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the cake has shrunk a little from the sides of the tin and springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip in the center of the cake.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix the sugar with the lemon juice and stir to a runny consistency.
- Leave the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then lift out, with the lining paper still attached, and place on a wire rack set over a tray.
- Brush the glaze all over the surface of the warm cake and leave to set. Remove the lining paper and cut into slices to serve.
Recipe Tips
Tip 1: It is important to spoon the glaze on to the cake while it’s still warm so the lemon juice soaks in properly.Tip 2: Lemon balm works well as an alternative for lemon verbena if you can’t get hold of any, or you could use finely chopped lemon thyme leaves.
Tip 3: This traybake can be stored in an airtight container for 3–4 days and frozen for up to a month.
