Lemon and blueberry drizzle cake
This zesty loaf cake combines sharp lemon and sweet blueberries to create a wonderful tea-time treat.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 175g/6oz caster sugar
- 3 unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest from 2 lemons and juice from 3 lemons
- 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ground almonds
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp milk
- 150g/5½oz fresh blueberries
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
Using a freestanding mixer or electric hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest.
Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add the ground almonds, salt, milk and the juice from 1 lemon. Mix again on a slow speed until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Spoon one third of the mixture into the prepared tin, level the surface and scatter with one third of the blueberries. Repeat this layering a further two times until all of the mixture and blueberries have been used up.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 1 hour or until golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Mix the remaining lemon juice with the granulated sugar in a bowl. Spoon the lemon drizzle over the top of the cake and leave in the tin until completely cold.
Cut into slices and serve.
Recipe Tips
Layering the cake batter and blueberries in the tin prevents all the fruit from sinking to the bottom. Using ground almonds in the cake mixture also helps with this as it gives the sponge extra body.