Jane Asher’s soaked lemon drizzle cake recipe

"I’m a great fan of lemon, and used to eat raw slices of lemon when I was younger,” says Jane, “but if your taste isn’t for as sharp things as mine is, then this would work equally well with orange juice. It’s the soaking in syrup that’s the crucial bit, giving the cake its special, moist texture and fruity taste."

Soaked lemon drizzle cake

INGREDIENTS

175g spreadable butter

175g castor sugar

3 medium eggs, lightly beaten

Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and the juice of 2 (about 3 tablespoons)

175g self-raising flour

Pinch salt

3 tbsps milk

50g granulated sugar

50g sieved icing sugar

A little lemon juice

METHOD

• Pre-heat the oven to 1780°C (165°C fan assisted, 350°F).

With your child

• Line the bottom and sides of a 900g (21x10x6cm) loaf tin with baking parchment or a liner, to come a couple of centimetres above the top edge.
• Cream the butter and sugar together, beating well until really pale and fluffy.
• Add the egg little by little, beating well all the time.
• Add the grated lemon zest, then gently fold in the flour and salt.
• Stir in the milk, then turn the mixture into the prepared loaf tin.

Best just for adults

• Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until springy to the touch and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven but leave in the tin.
• Put the sugar and lemon juice into a small pan and bring it to the boil, stirring all the time as the sugar dissolves
• Boil strongly for about half a minute.
• Make several holes in the cake with a skewer, going right to the bottom of the tin. Pour the hot syrup all over the cake, letting it seep into the holes.

With your child

• Leave to cool. Carefully lift the cake from the tin, by holding the edges of the paper or silicon. Gently peel away the paper or liner.
• Add the lemon juice little by little to icing sugar, beating well, until it is of pouring consistency but not too runny.
• Drizzle over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.