Citrus Drizzle Cake

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Baking time: 35 minutes | Makes a small tray or loaf tin

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225 g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 lemons 2 limes 1 tangerine /mandarin / clementine, with a vibrant orange skin
• 200 g caster sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 125 g plain flour
• 125 g fine yellow cornmeal or quick-cook polenta
• ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder
• 125 g lemon-flavoured or plain whole yoghurt

For the Drizzle

• 100 g caster sugar, or granulated for extra crunch

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4).
• Grease a 22-cm shallow square tin  or 26 cm loaf tin with butter, then line it with baking parchment.
• Finely grate the zest from all the fruit, taking care not to remove the bitter white pith just underneath the colourful outer layer.
• Put 2 teaspoons of the mixed zests in a large bowl with the butter and sugar, saving the rest for later
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and pale. Scrape the sides of the bowl down every now and again with a spatula, so that every last bit gets mixed.
• Crack the eggs into a measuring jug. Pour one egg into the bowl, then beat it into the creamed mixture until completely combined, fluffy and light. Add the rest of the eggs one by one, beating well each time. If the mixture starts to look at all slimy, add 1 tablespoon of the flour and it will become smooth again.
• Thoroughly mix together the flour, cornmeal or polenta, salt and baking powder, then sift half of it on top of the egg mixture.
• Using a spatula or a large metal spoon, fold it in until the batter is thick and fairly smooth.
• Fold in the yoghurt in the same way, then sift over and fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, level the top, then give it a sharp tap on the work surface to help remove any bubbles that can sometimes appear in this cake.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until it is golden and has risen all over, then turn the oven down to 160°C (140°C fan/gas 3).
• If it’s browning too much on one side, quickly and carefully turn it around. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch, or it passes the skewer test.
• Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, squeeze the juice from 1 lemon, 1 lime and half the tangerine, to make about 80 ml.
• Poke 20 or so holes all over the cake using a fine skewer or a cocktail stick.
• Mix the sugar for the topping into the juice (do not let it dissolve), then spoon it over the surface of the still-warm cake, making sure that the sugar looks thick and evenly spread.
• Leave to cool completely. The sugar will become crisp and sparkly once the syrup soaks into the cake.
• Cut into slices to serve.
• If making the cake a day ahead, leave it loosely covered or in a roomy container with a little air for breathing. This will keep the sugary crust crisp

Source: What to Bake and How to Bake It available in store at the Triggerfish Cookshop

About the Book: What to Bake and How to Bake It is the ultimate cookbook for amateur bakers looking to master the classics and expand their repertoires.