Mrs Verney's Moist Lemon Cake

The cake-baking has become a bit of a 'thing'. I now feel that if I don't produce a cake for a friend's birthday, I have somehow failed as a friend. It is fortunate that I love nothing better than a spot of the old baking, however, I've got a little bored of the birthday cupcakes now and so decided something different was in order for the latest birthday. I asked the birthday girl for her favourite cake flavour and was thrilled when she named two of my favourites; ginger cake and lemon drizzle cake.

Unable to decide which to go for, I plumped for both. And served both for tea along with cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon sandwiches (crusts removed, naturally). It was a teatime feast that we managed to devour despite being just two in number! Never knowingly undercatered, that's my motto.

For the ginger, I whipped up the deep and dark ginger cake about which I have already posted. This time, I refrained from smothering the sticky gingery treat in lemon icing and simply drizzled a little over the top. More artistic, certainly....

For the lemon, I turned to a trusted recipe that is easy-as-pie as you simply throw all the ingredients into the food processor together. I altered it slightly by including some orange rind and juice as well as the lemon. It was, I think, a good adjustment to make.

Ingredients

4oz butter

6oz caster sugar

6oz self-raising flour

1 level teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

Grated rind of 1 large or 2 small lemons (or replace for one lemon and one orange)

2 1/2 fl oz milk

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C. Grease and line a loaf tin.

2. Place all ingredients in the food processor and whizz until smooth. Yes, really.

3. Pour into prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

4. Whilst baking, prepare the syrup. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of sugar in the juice of the lemons (and oranges) that you grated for the cake. Heat until starts to bubble.

5. Remove cake from oven and prick all over with a skewer. Pour over the lemon syrup. Leave in tin until cool. Sprinkle with a little sugar if desired.

The cake is deliciously moist and keeps fairly well in an airtight tin. Not that we got the chance to discover - we made short work of both cakes on day one and finished the rest in our respective offices the next day!Both were delicious, though the ginger perhaps a touch more photogenic...!