lemony cake with crispy lemon topping

This is boyfriend's all-time favourite cake.  Actually, it's the only cake he'll eat.  A favourite of mine too, just try not to think too hard about all the sugar!

It's a Mary Berry recipe but I put more lemon in as I like it extra zingy

100g stork
175g caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
zest of 2 lemons
juice of a lemon
milk

Beat the margarine,sugar  and lemon zest together and add eggs one by one.  Beat in the flour and baking powder.

You need 4 tablespoons of liquid so use the lemon juice and make up the difference with milk.

Pour mixture into an 18cm round greased cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes.

Whilst the cake is baking make the topping by combining:

juice of the other lemon
100g granulated sugar

Once the cake is baked, remove from oven but leave it in the tin and pour over the lemon/sugar mixture while the cake is still hot.  Leave to cool in the tin.

Make a nice cup of tea and eat cake

lemon cake

This is for my beloved; lemon cake is his favourite.

I always use Mary Berry's recipe (which she calls Crunchy Top Lemon Cake) as she makes the best cakes ever and is my cake-hero!  I have a much-loved copy of her 'Ultimate Cake Book' which is covered in jam, sugar and cake mix... testament to how much I have used it.

The only changes I make to her recipe (sorry Mary) are extra lemon juice and zest in the cake, but I do really like it nice and lemony.

to make a 20cm square cake
100g soft margarine (I use trusty Stork)
175g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
milk
zest of 2 lemons

Cream together marge and sugar.  Add lemon zest then the eggs one by one.  Beat in flour and baking powder.  Measure the lemon juice, add to the mix and beat in.  Try to remember how much lemon juice there was and make up the amount of liquid to 60ml using milk and beat this in.  I don't like to add the milk directly to the lemon juice as it once went a bit funny (a reaction between the acid and milk).

Put the mix into a lined 20cm square cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180c for about 30 minutes.

For the topping
juice of 1 lemon
100g caster sugar

Mix together lemon juice and sugar.  Pour over the cake whilst still hot and in its tin.  Leave to cool then turn out and devour!


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