Week 38 - Lemon Drizzle Cake

Evening! It's been a busy week this week with lots to tell you, but first I'd like to say thanks to those of you who shared your Victoria Sponge secrets. It really was the most pathetic excuse for a cake, but I think I've picked up a good few tips & will be testing them out in the coming weeks. I'll let you know how I get on...

So as well as the weekly recipe, I've also been practising for the Great Brownie Bake Off this Saturday. I've just about perfected the recipe so bring on the competition! You can find more details about the event here If you're in the area come along, it looks like a great line up of demonstrations from various bakers as well as appearance by Edd, winner of the Great British Bake Off. Fingers crossed, results next week.

Thanks to everyone who voted in my poll last week, it was a bit of a contest between Peanut Butter Cookies & Lemon Drizzle Cake, poor old Carrot Cake didn't seem to get a look in! Lemon Drizzle won, so here's my take on the tea time classic. This week I was kindly sent a selection of products from Total Greek Yoghurt to experiment with in my baking. I have used yoghurt before in muffins & it really does give a delicious soft texture. So I thought I'd try adding it to a Lemon Drizzle Cake, it's the perfect addition to ensure a squidgy, gooey cake...for me, exactly what Lemon Drizzle should be!

300g plain flour
200g caster sugar
170g butter melted
250ml Total Greek Yoghurt
2 eggs
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 lemons zested & juiced
100g granulated sugar

1. Beat together the sugar & eggs, add the melted butter, yoghurt & lemon zest. Finally stir in the flour, baking powder & bicarb.

2. Pour into a baking tin & bake at 180c/GM5 for around 45-55 minutes until well risen & golden on the top. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then lift out onto a rack.

3. To make the drizzle, mix together the lemon juice & granulated sugar. Once cooled, using a skewer poke small holes into the top of the cake, then pour over the drizzle. This doesn't have to be exact as it will all seep through the cake. Leave it to set & you should have a gorgeous sugar crust on the top!

So there you have it, delicious Lemon Drizzle Cake & as its got yoghurt in it, we can kid ourselves it's healthy. I'll be trying out a few other things with the yoghurt including a dessert my Kiwi colleague recommended called Ambrosia (no not custard), which looks like a variation on an Eton Mess! Enjoy, till next week, Rebecca x

Week 30 - Lemon Meringue Cake

Hello! It doesn't seem 5 minutes since my last post, but I'm back on schedule & this weeks recipe is another request but more about that in a bit...

So, after 30 solid weeks of baking it has been proving a little tricky for me to maintain at least some level of will power not just to scoff the lot myself! It was ok whilst I was training for the marathon, but I've decided if I want to keep eating cake, I need to take assertive action. Wait for it, I've only gone & joined a gym! This is a big deal for me who has spent the last 3 years doing everything possible to avoid the gym (I even signed up for a belly dancing course for alternative exercise!) Thankfully this is a different type of gym, it's based around circuits & a workout only lasts 30 minutes...I think even I can manage that. I'll let you know how I get on, but don't worry, there will be no danger of me turning into a health freak gym bunny. Sweet indulgence will continue to week 52!

This weeks recipe was a request from my friend Jo, who is leaving work this week to have a baby. Honestly there's something in the water at our place, we girls are a bit nervous to touch the coffee machine just in case! She told me she's been craving lemon meringue so I thought I'd make this cake from Nigella's Feast cookbook. I've made it once before & it went down a storm, it looks really impressive, but it's actually quite easy (definitely easier to construct than the Black Forest Gateaux I made in week 21) I hope she enjoys it & it satisfies the craving!

125g unsalted butter
4 eggs separated
300g caster sugar
100g plain flour
25g cornflour
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
Zest of 1 lemon
4tsps lemon juice
2tsps milk
1/2tsp cream of tartar
150ml whipping cream, whipped!
150g lemon curd

1. Cream together the butter & 100g of the sugar, then beat in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarb & lemon zest, finally add the lemon juice & milk. Divide the mixture between 2 sandwich tins, there will just be enough to cover the base of the tin.

2. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins, making sure you completely cover the cake mixture. Make the top of 1 tin smooth, peak the other one with a spoon & sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the oven at 200c/GM6 for around 20 minutes. You need to watch it quite carefully to make sure the meringue doesn't over brown. Lift out & leave to cool completely in the tins.

3. To construct the cake, tip out the cake with the smooth top & place it on a plate meringue side down. Spread the lemon curd over the cake, then smooth over the whipped cream. Place the other cake on top, so the peaked meringue is on top.

I think it's best to keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve, if it lasts that long!? Now don't tell anyone, but it's my birthday next week. To celebrate I'm hoping to launch the first ever Rebecca Bakes Cakes blog giveaway with a fab prize that will provide you with the perfect accompaniment to cake! Until the, Rebecca x