Ingredients
4 oz soft margarine
6oz caster sugar
2 large eggs
6 oz self-raising flour
4 tbsp milk
rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp icing sugar
Method
1) Grease and line the bottom of a 2lb loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2) Cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat the eggs, add to the mixture, and beat well together.
3) Add the sifted flour, the lemon rind, and the milk. Mix well.
4) Put mixture in tin, and smooth top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.
5) While the cake is baking, put the lemon juice and icing sugar in a pan, and heat gently until the icing sugar is dissolved.
6) As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a skewer to make several deep holes in the top. Immediately pour the lemon-sugar mix over the cake. Leave the cake in the tin until completely cool before removing.
Notes
This makes a gorgeous sticky cake. It counts as economical, given that a slice of lemon drizzle cake costs about £2 in any cafe. I am not sure what the whole cake costs to bake, but it is a whole lot less than £20! I had a vegetable bake on the bottom shelf of the oven while this was cooking on the top. Half of the final loaf has gone in the freezer.
Caster sugar costs more than granulated. Friend Claire recently suggested buying granulated sugar and whizzing it in the food processor to make caster sugar. I gave it a try and am not altogether convinced it made much difference - but maybe your food processor is more efficient than mine. I have never had a problem working with granulated sugar anyway, unless it is meringues.
If making the cake in a food processor, then add the sugar, margarine, and eggs all at once, and cream together before adding the other ingredients. This is how I did it, and it worked well.
4 comments:
I'm glad you're back- I love your frugal tips.
I've tried to make caster sugar in the processor several times. No use. I am told that a thermomix will make it (as well as do almost everything except eat what you cook). However, at almost $2000 down here, it's not a purchase I'll be making. Almost always, ordinary sugar is fine, although the other is better in a sponge cake, I think.
Thank you, kind Anonymous person! It is good to be back.
And Jan, you have confirmed my suspicion re. the food processor thing. I haven't come across a thermomix, but it would have to have magical powers before I would spent $2000 on one, even when at my most flush!
Darn, lost my comment. A thermomix, chops, blends mixes and cooks all in the one appliance. Owners tend to be very evangelistic about their gadget. Reviews are usually very positive. Here's a review by Choice the magazine of the local consumers' group down here. Just so you know what we both don't have. LOL
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