Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preparing The Infusion
- Zest lemons and add to the caster sugar. Give it a thorough mix (the sugar will almost turn yellow), place into an airtight container for 24 hours.
For The Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 160℃ (320℉). With bake spray, lightly spray the loaf tin and line with a piece of greaseproof paper (parchment paper). Into a mixing bowl sift flour and baking powder to remove and clumps, set aside for later.
- With a citrus juicer, juice lemons until you have 160g off juice. (This will cover all recipes). Be sure to roll the lemons with the palm of your hand on the counter to soften the flesh so we can extract the most amount of juice. If the lemons are fridge cold give them a 10 second burst in the microwave to warm through slightly.
- Place the infused sugar into a mixing bowl, followed by the eggs, oil and 80g of lemon juice, lightly combine with a whisk.
- Once combined gently whisk in the melted butter (we don't want to incorporate any air).
- In ⅓ increments add in the dry ingredients and fold through with a spatula until combined. Lastly add in the milk and gently mix in so the batter is smooth and lump free.
- Add the batter to the prepared loaf tin. Into a piping bag add the extra softened butter, cut the tip 1cm wide (doesn't have to be exact). Pipe a line straight down the centre of the loaf, lengthways.
- Place into the oven for 40-50 minutes (a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the centre.) Once baked, leave too cool in the tin on a wire rack.
Soaking Syrup
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes to slightly thicken, remove from the heat and immediately drizzle over the lemon loaf. (Keep the ingredients ready in a pan and on the hob, as soon as the cake is out of the oven, boil and pour over.)
Sugar Crust
- Place granulated sugar into a mixing bowl. With the remaining 60g of lemon juice, mix a little juice at a time into the sugar. Keep adding juice until you achieve a thick but runny syrup. Pour evenly over the surface of the cake while still in the tin. (Let the loaf cool down slightly so it is still warm when you do this.) Allow it to set before removing from the tin and cooling down completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- This recipe calls for 165g of lemon juice in total, which is approximately 3-4 medium sized lemons.
- To truly brighten the lemon flavour in your cake, prepare the sugar infusion in advance. This process allows the lemon's essential oils to be thoroughly drawn out and absorbed by the sugar. A 24-hour infusion is ideal, but an overnight soak (8-12 hours) works well too. If you're pressed for time, aim for a minimum of 4 hours; the infusion isn't strictly necessary for the recipe to work, but it will significantly impact the strength of the lemon flavour.
- For an extra layer of moisture and a delightful zingy-sweet burst in every bite, I highly recommend the optional soaking syrup. The amount specified in the recipe is carefully balanced to infuse flavour and moistness without compromising the cake's tender structure. Adjust to your personal taste, adding as little or as much as you desire.
- In this recipe I melted the butter to see as a test and it worked perfectly well. Typically I would warm already softened butter in the microwave in 10 second bursts on a medium power, mixing in between until I get more of a butter paste. This give the batter a bit more body and results in a slightly stronger crumb to handle the soaking better. You get a great result either way!