Lemon Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

For the cake

• 2 sticks (225 g) soft butter
• 1 ⅛ cups (225 g) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups (225 g) self-rising flour
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tbsp milk

For the drizzle

• Juice of 2 lemons
• 85 g granulated sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 350°F (180°C, fan 160°C). Butter and line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf pan.
2. Cream. Beat the butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy — a proper 3–4 minutes.
3. Eggs & flour. Beat in the eggs one at a time (a spoon of flour with the last two stops curdling). Fold in the rest of the flour, the zest and the milk.
4. Bake. 45–50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. No peeking before 40.
5. Drizzle hot. Stir the lemon juice into the granulated sugar — a wet slush, not dissolved. Prick the hot cake all over and spoon it on slowly. Cool completely in the pan.