Sticky Lemon Cake Recipe

This gorgeous lemony Easter recipe would make a welcome addition to any holiday feast this year - give it a go and you'll be more than pleased.

HOW TO MAKE STICKY LEMON CAKE

Ingredients

• 150g (5oz) butter, softened
• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 150g (5oz) self-raising flour
• 125g (4½oz) ground almonds
• 1tsp baking powder
• 4tbsp lemon curd
• lemon or passion fruit sorbet, icing sugar and fresh raspberries, to serve

for the syrup:

• juice 3 lemons
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar

you will need:

• 1 x 20cm (8in) square cake tin, greased and bottom-lined

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, 325 F, gas 3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice to the eggs, then beat into the butter mixture. If it curdles, add a little flour and it will come back together. Fold in the flour, almonds and baking powder until you have a smooth mixture.
2. Transfer the mixture to the cake tin, drizzle the lemon curd over and drag it into the mixture using a knife. Make sure the lemon curd is covered by cake mix, or it will burn easily. Bake on the middle shelf for about 50 minutes, covering with foil after the first 20 to 30 minutes or when the cake is golden.
3. To make the syrup, heat the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has dissolved. When the cake comes out of the oven, spear it all over with a skewer and pour the syrup over while it’s still in the tin. Allow each drizzle to sink in before you add more. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then tip out on to a wire rack. Cut into 9 squares and dust with icing sugar, and serve with sorbet (see page 146 for one of our favourites) and raspberries. The cake will keep in an airtight container for 2 days or for up to a month in the freezer.