lemons – A Cottage Kitchen

Boozy lemon and almond cake, Hells yeah.

I’m not going to waste any superlatives describing this cake, it rocks in all the best ways, end off.

Limoncello lemon drizzle cake

Ingredients:

For the cake: (makes 2 loaf tins)

250g butter
250g caster sugar
zest of 3 unwaxed lemons
5 eggs
150g self raising flour
150g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the drizzle:

juice of 3 lemons
150g caster sugar

For the icing:

80g icing sugar
60ml limoncello
lemon zest to sprinkle (optional)

poked with a skewer, drizzled and cooling in their tins

Method:

heat fan oven to 180C. Line 2 loaf tins.
cream together the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs, one at a time, waiting until each egg is thoroughly incorporated. Beat in the zest and poppy seeds.
Stir in the ground almonds and baking powder followed by the flour. Do not over mix.
Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
Combine the lemon juice and caster sugar in a small saucepan and heat on a medium heat. Once the cakes are cooked poke them all over the top with a skewer then pour over the drizzle and leave to cool completely in the tins.
Once cool make the icing by mixing together the icing sugar and limoncello. Remove the cold cakes from the tins and drizzle with the icing and sprinkle some more lemon zest over the top.

All you need is a sterilised jar, unwaxed lemons, rock salt and whatever seasoning you fancy. I used a few bay leaves, peppercorns and a few juniper berries. Just slice the lemons into quarters but don’t cut all the way down to the bottom. Squeeze it open and put some rock salt inside. Pack into the jar squashing as you go and adding your salt and seasonings, as you squash the juice will come out. Once the jar is full top up with extra lemon juice and salt and seal. Leave at room temp and gently agitate for a few days then leave for about 6 weeks. Dead easy. When you come to use them discard everything but the pith and skin which will be lovely and soft, rinse really well then chop and add to your dishes. They are wonderful in taffies and also make a really great instant pickle to accompany your curry.