Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake

I love a good lemon drizzle! For an extra-indulgent spin on the classic cake, this one is layered with lemon curd and a lemon buttercream filling. The lemon drizzle infuses the delicate sponge with its intense flavour and makes it deliciously moist. You can use orange instead, or any other citrus fruit. Find more recipes like this in my new book 'Celebrate'.

8-10 Slices

Ingredients

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease

175g caster sugar

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

3 medium eggs, at room temperature

175g self-raising flour

¼ tsp baking powder

A pinch of fine salt

About 2 tbsp milk

100g granulated sugar

Lemon curd filling

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons

100g caster sugar

50g unsalted butter, diced

3 medium eggs, plus 1 extra yolk, beaten

Lemon buttercream

80g unsalted butter, softened

Finely grated zest of ½/ lemon

250g icing sugar, sifted

2 tbsp milk

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 1 kg (or 2 lb) loaf tin with baking paper.

   
   

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar and half the lemon zest together using a hand-held electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined before adding the next.

   
   

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together over the mixture. Fold in carefully, using a spatula or large metal spoon, then add enough milk to achieve a dropping consistency (i.e. the mixture just falls off the spoon).

   
   

4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes until the loaf cake is risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5. To make the lemon drizzle, in a small jug, mix the lemon juice with the remaining grated zest and the granulated sugar. While the cake is still warm, prick holes all over the top using a cocktail stick and trickle over the lemon drizzle. Allow the cake to cool before removing from the tin.

   
   

6. In the meantime, make the lemon curd. Put the lemon zest and juice, sugar and butter into a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the butter is melted then take the pan off the heat. Whisk in the beaten eggs and extra yolk then place the bowl back over the simmering water. Stir for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon; don't let it boil or it will split. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cooled, spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle.

7. To make the lemon buttercream, put the butter, lemon zest and icing sugar into a bowl and beat with a hand-held electric whisk to combine.

   
   

   Add the milk and beat until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle.

   
   

8. To assemble, slice the cake in half horizontally, Pipe alternate blobs of buttercream and lemon curd on the bottom layer and sandwich together with the top cake layer.

Taken from my new book 'Celebrate', published by Bloomsbury