Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
 
This is an amazing lemon and poppy seed cake with a little added vanilla flavour for good measure. A lemon drizzle cake is a go to recipe that fits all occasions. Just make sure you put plenty of that tangy lemon syrup on top when its baked, as thats what its all about!
 
 
Ingredients 
 
250g Butter, room temperature 
250g Caster sugar 
4 Large free range eggs, room temperature 
2 Lemons, zest for the cake and juice for the icing 
225g Self raising flour 
20g Custard powder 
2 tbsp Poppy seeds 
150g Icing/powdered  sugar 
 
Here’s how:
 
Mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, I use an electric mixer for this recipe as it will help you achieve a good mixture to start your cake off. 
It should take about 5 minutes to mix together before adding the eggs one at a time making sure each egg is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next. 
Zest the lemons straight into the mixing bowl, then add the flour, custard powder and poppy seeds.
Fold the mixture together slowly as you don’t want to over mix or you will develop the gluten and make the cake mixture tight and chewy. 
Transfer the cake mixture into a lined or non stick 2lb loaf tin.
Bake in a pre heated oven 170c fan for 25-30 minutes or until golden and the cake springs back when you press the top gently. 
When the cake is baked remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes. 
Meanwhile mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to form a syrup.
Pour the lemon icing over the top of the cake and leave to soak in for 1 hour before serving. 
 
Recipe by Peter Sidwell