Sticky Lemon Cake

I don’t need a special occasion to bake cake… honestly any excuse will do.

Birthdays, Holidays, Mondays, Tuesdays… really any day will do.

My favourite lemon cake is light, soft and citrussy. Comforting but not heavy, sweet but not sickly, and tart but not sharp. Soft enough to melt in the mouth, but cake-y and not moussey.

I’m often underwhelmed with shop-bought lemon cakes… dried-out, crumbly, and absolutely smothered with icing…not in the slightest bit appetizing. Does anyone really like dry icing when it’s sickly sweet? No thank you.

I’ve been making my sticky lemon cake for a few years now, it’s one I can whip up without thinking and it’s reassuringly easy. This may just be my favourite ever lemon cake… sticky, moist (sorry!), zingy and sweet all at once. The kind of cake that results in a stunned silence for the first bite followed by smiles and “mmmmm” sounds all round! I also made it for The Londoner, Rosie’s bake sale with some fab reviews.

Have some faith and go with me on this one… I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Here’s what you need:

125g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2 large eggs (room temperature)
175g caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
170g self raising flour
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons milk

For the syrup:

juice of 1 and a half lemons
100g icing sugar

What to do:

First things first preheat your oven to 180 C/ 170 C (if using a fan-assisted oven) and line a 23x13x7cm loaf tin, with baking paper. Cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

Lifestyle Enthusiast - Sticky Lemon Loaf - Creaming the mixture

Add in your lemon zest and eggs, beating them in well.

Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in the flour and the salt, mixing thoroughly and then pour in your milk and give it another stir.

Lifestyle Enthusiast - Sticky Lemon Loaf - Folding the batter

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Now make the syrup… pour lemon juice and icing sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves completely

Lifestyle Enthusiast - Sticky Lemon Loaf - Zingy lemon glaze

As soon as cake is out of oven, puncture all over (use a skewer or a toothpick!) and pour over all of the syrup. If some floats on the top don’t worry as eventually it’ll all soak into the cake, making it wonderfully sticky and zingy.