Sunday 19 October 2008

Tana Ramsey's Lemon Drizzle Cake

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I used to bake quite a lot, but since moving and living on my own it doesn't seem to make that much sense to bake a cake. Either I'd have to eat it all, in which case even cycling to work and everywhere else would not stop me from piling on the pounds, or alternatively a lot of it would go to waste, and that just doesn't go with the whole love food, hate waste philosophy. This weekend I've baked two cakes though, one which I took to a dinner party yesterday and which I'll post about later this week and a Lemon Drizzle Cake, just because I fancied some and I figured that even if nobody comes round to visit to today, I'll just have a slice or two by myself and take the rest to work and make my colleagues happy tomorrow.

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A couple of months ago Tana Ramsey's Lemon Drizzle cake made an appearance on quite a number of food blogs and I've been meaning to try it ever since. So, I finally did. It's a good cake, easy to make, moist and lemony and I'm sure it'll still be good and not dried out after a couple of days, but for me it's not quite lemony enough and my other recipe remains my favourite.

Here's the recipe as it appears on the BBC Good Food website for you, so you can try it for yourself and see if you like it better than your favourite Lemon Drizzle Cake.

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Tana Ramsey's Lemon Drizzle Cake

225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
225g self-raising flour

juice of 11⁄2 lemon
85g caster sugar

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through.

Sift in the 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. (Mine took 60 minutes.)

While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemon juice and 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.

32 comments:

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Scond only to chocolate lemon is my favourite dessert flavour:D

Jan said...

That cake looks delish - lovely pictures Sylvie!

Trish Sharp said...

fruit deserts are the best. i love love love lemon. your cake looks so yummy. i say eat the cake and skip the diner to save on calories. nothing like cake and ice cream for dinner. i really must start walking/running more. you can only use the excuse of winter weight for a short time.

keep cooking!!

Katie said...

My sister and I are both very fond of lemon. I'll have to give this a try.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

I've seen quite a few of Tana Ramsey's recipes lately. Yesterday in a Sunday supplement magazine there was one for Chocolate and Beetroot cake. MUST give it a go sometime. I do have a recipe for Lemon Drizzle cake but may try this new recipe.

A

Marie Rayner said...

That looks really good Sylvie. I Love lemon anything!

Maggie said...

I love lemon drizzle cake and I too saw this recipe on lots of blogs. It was a lovely cake, but I agree not lemony enough.
It freezes well Sylvie.

Anonymous said...

Mmm, that looks lovely. Pretty plate too.

Sylvie said...

Val, my problem is that I like just about all flavours of desserts. ;)

Jan, thanks.

Trish, I have to admit that I did have some for dessert last night as well as the slice I had with a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Katie, if you like it lemony, I'd add more lemon zest or try my other recipe.

strawberry jam anne, I've been meaning to try chocolate and beetroot together, it's supposed to make a wonderfully moist cake.

Marie, me too.

Margaret, unfortunately I've only got a tiny freezer compartment in my fridge and no room in my kitchen to buy a bigger one. So, I guess I'll just have to eat it all.

Ginger, thanks. I got the plates from Super Saver the other week for £2.00 instead of the RRP of £20.00.

Patchwork Dragon said...

Hi Sylvie

Lemon Drizzle Cake is one of my favouritist things!! I tend to avoid recipes (and other things ) that come from celebrity other halfs, I always feel they are jumping on the band wagon...you know.....I'm married to a celebrity chef and abracadabra I'm a celebrity chef too!....just my opinion. Anyway, this looks good so I may just try it...

Rosie said...

Hi Sylvie, Lemon drizzle cake has to be ranking on my top list of bakes. This cake looks really good I must make a note to bake this one to try out :)

Rosie x

Sam said...

I would love a slice of that cake! lemon drizzle is one of my favourites.

Finla said...

I love leamon cake. This looks so yummy.

Deborah said...

I usually have to give most of my baked goods away, because my husband and I would eat it all and weigh 500 lbs each!! This cake sounds fantastic!

fleur said...

Lemon Cake is my all time favourite! As a tea lover yous should have a look at this website www.teaworld.co.uk its got so many good things, even tea recipes

Abitofafoodie said...

I love lemon drizzle cake. Like you I have a favourite recipe though! I similarly live on my own but love to bake - I usually bake cakes to take to work and just save a little for myself to enjoy at home.

Anonymous said...

sounds wonderful. I will try and bake it very soon.

Gloria Baker said...

Sylviw thia look absolutely wonderful, I love lemon too!! Gloria

Anne said...

Lemon drizzle is my favourite! I always make the same one again and again but might try this loaf option to compare, though I must admit I like my cake really lemony so might up the lemons!

Raquel said...

Sylvie: That cake looks wonderful! I make a similar one and DS loves it! Much love, Raquel XO

Kelly-Jane said...

It looks lovely!

Lo said...

This cakes looks absolutely lovely -- and so moist. Nothing better than a lemon cake with crisp topping!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

That looks like a cracker, Sylvie - thanks for the recipe! (wish I could reach out and swipe one of those slices in the meantime...)

test it comm said...

That lemon cake looks really good!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Sounds really lovely! I do so lilke lemon in dessert! I was on your track today I made cakes yesterday and Graham took one to his work and I took one to mine. I get the fun of baking and sharing without overindulging :) And I was gifted one of the ingredients.

Katie said...

In your second photo, is that fabric in the background? I usually shoot with a plate of food on a table and I am always trying to find cool backgrounds to enhance the picture.

AdventGeekGirl said...

You recipe caught my eye because 1) I love lemon sweet foods and 2) I am curious about the Ramsays. I totally have a thing for Gordon (on a cooking level... no funny business) and I watch all his shows and, essentially, I credit him for lighting within me a passion for cooking. He makes me excited about cooking. I didn't know his wife cooked, though, but while flipping channels when I arrived home from work I saw this show about "worst couples" and they were totally tearing into Gordon and Tana. It was there I learned she also cooks and is making a career out of it, but they were slamming her for riding on the coattails of her husband. So, just out of curiousity, have you cooked items from both of them and do you have an opinion on the two of them? I just was wondering for fun.

Sylvie said...

Patchwork Dragon, I know what you mean about jumping on the bandwaggon, but I guess it's like a lot of situations in life all about who you know and your connections!

Rosie, it looks like you and me are not the only ones who love lemon drizzle cake!

Sam, get on yer bike and come on over for a slice!

Happy Cook, thank you.

Deborah, I took most of the cake to work to share with my colleagues.

Flower, thanks for the tip about that website. I'll definitely go and check it out.

Antonia, that's what I do most of the time too and I have to say I've never had anybody complain about it at work.

Samantha Winter, I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you do.

Gloria, thanks a lot.

Anne, if you like it lemony definitely increase the amount of zest and maybe even the juice, or try the other recipe I have posted.

Raquel, I'd love to see your recipe on your blog some time.

Kelly, Jane, thank you so much.

Lo, I couldn't agree more!

aforkfullofspaghetti, I'm still waiting for the day that that becomes possible!

Kevin, thanks a lot.

Holler, that's what I do a lot to. Lucky you to get given the ingredients!

Katie, yes it's a seat cushion I got from Ikea. I've been known to shoot on a table, on the floor, on my desk, on a window sill, you name it and I've used it to photograph! I usually choose wherever the light is best at that moment.

Reel Monkey, that was the first of her recipes I have tried. I have picked up her cookbook in the shop before and have to say it did look very nice and I was tempted to buy it. I've tried various of Gordon Ramsey's recipes though and have to say they have never failed me.

Hopie said...

I love lemon cake. I'll have to test this recipe, or perhaps your favorite ;-) You're right to just go ahead and bake something you're in the mood for, good for you! Looks like the perfect cake to have for tea.

Anonymous said...

I love lemon desserts and this one looks like one I will definitely have to try out. I too live on my own and, since I absolutely love baking, have had to figure out how to bake without producing such an excess that I end up either gorging myself or throwing half of it away (which I hate). I have by now mastered the art of halving (or quartering) most recipes and I bake cakes and sweet breads in mini loaf pans or as cupcakes. It's worked for me so far.

Jerry said...

Fabulous! Perfect for my morning coffee!

Anonymous said...

I believe Tana created this recipe to be child-friendly, so its not too lemony as kids aren't into tart stuff. If I wanted more lemony flavour, I'd try cutting back on the sugar in the glaze a little at a time.

On another note, its so frustrating to read food blogs comments from people on the photos and recipe - but nobody ever seems to have actually tried the recipe.

I came online to check if the sugar in the glaze has to be dissolved but can't find this info anywhere online.
Jst removed my cake from the oven right now and I'm preparing my glaze.. I've doubled up the entire recipe. For the glaze, I've used 2 huge limes, the size of oranges, and I've completely dissolved the sugar in the lime juice. I'm decorating the top with strips of lime and orange zest before pouring the glaze over - taking it to a Boxing Day get-together.

Ok, its been an hour since I poured the glaze over and the cake is sticky, I dont see any sign of the crisp topping. Hoping the glaze works!

Ok, its been a couple of hours and there's no sign of the crispy topping. Quite disappointed about that. Cake taste is ok, but I really wanted the crispy topping, that would have been the unique point of this recipe.