What happened to the Rishi Sunak I knew at school?
Takes: 10 minutes
Bakes: 1 hour
For the sponge
200g butter
200g caster
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
½ teaspoon fine salt
3 lemons, zested
2 lemons, juice
For the drizzle
2 lemons, juiced
80g demerara or granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 2lb loaf tin with two strips of greaseproof paper, with enough overhang that you can grab the ends.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest until the sugar begins to looks like damp sand, and you can smell the lemon. Cream the lemony sugar with the butter until it is noticeable paler and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, combining each fully before adding the next. If it looks like the mixture is going to curdle, add a tablespoon of the flour and continue.
Fold in the flour and salt until combined into the mixture, and then stir through the lemon juice. Pour the cake batter into the lined loaf tin.
Bake for an hour, but check after 40 minutes, and if the top is starting to brown, cover with a layer of tin foil.
While the sponge bakes, mix together the lemon juice and sugar. Don’t worry: the sugar won’t all dissolve.
While the sponge is still warm, poke lots of holes in the top of the cake with a skewer or a chopstick. Spoon the syrup and any undissolved sugar onto the top of the cake, making sure to go right to the corners of the tin. Take it slowly if the syrup is pooling, and allow it to absorb before adding some more: the cake can take the whole amount. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in