Lemon Violet Drizzle Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease a 9-by-12-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary (mixture will look curdled, and that's O.K.). Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.
• Bake until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then use the paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan; transfer to wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and carefully remove paper.
• While cake bakes, in a small bowl mix together remaining half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) and enough lemon juice to make a runny mixture. While cake is still warm, spoon the sugar mixture evenly over the top. (The cake has to be cooled slightly to prevent topping from melting, but warm enough that it soaks into the cake, leaving a crunchy sugar coat on top.) Let cool, then cut into squares.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Measure ingredients into bowls. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and pale. Add 1 egg at a time, beating until the batter returns to a uniform pale color before adding the next. Sift in flour gradually. Fold with a wooden spoon to be sure flour is combined. Add baking powder and lemon zest.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan, being careful not to press it down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Try not to open the oven door early to avoid collapsing the fluffy cake.
• Juice the zested lemon into a small bowl. Add the zest and juice of the second lemon. Stir in 7 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Pour glaze over the warm cake and leave to cool in the pan; glaze will harden as the cake cools.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Beat together the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through.
• Sift in the self-raising flour, then add the lemon zest and mix until well combined.
• Line a loaf tin (8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon.
• Bake for 45-50 mins until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemons juice and caster sugar to make the drizzle.
• Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle - the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.
• Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve. Will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.