Moist, buttery and full of zesty lemon flavour. Made with a few simple ingredients this delicious cake is easy to make and bake.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

  • 280g softened butter plus a little extra to grease the dish
  • 280g unbleached (golden) caster sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 280g self-raising flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 50ml lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons soured cream

Icing

  • 175g icing sugar
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4

  1. Line the base of a 2lb loaf tin with a strip of baking paper.
  2. Cream together the softened butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour with the baking powder and combine.
  3. Beat in the lemon zest, juice, soured cream and vanilla extract.
  4. Pour the mixture in to the lined tin and smooth over the top with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-55 minutes until the top is golden brown and the middle springs back when pressed.
  5. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of the tin and placing on a serving dish.
  6. To make the icing. Put the icing sugar into a bowl, mix in half of the lemon zest and enough juice to make an icing with the consistency that will just coat the back of a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the warm cake allowing it to run down the sides and decorate the top with the remaining zest. Allow to cool and the icing to set before slicing.