Description
Moist lemon drizzle traybake cake delights with tangy citrus notes and sweet glaze. British baking classic offers simple pleasure and zesty comfort for afternoon tea gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (480 ml) self-rising flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 23 tbsps (345 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Preparation: Calibrate oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly coat a 9×13-inch baking tray with grease and parchment paper, covering bottom and sides completely.
- Creaming: Amalgamate butter and sugar using an electric mixer, whipping until the mixture transforms into a pale, voluminous consistency with a cloud-like texture.
- Egg Integration: Methodically introduce eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition to create a silky, uniform batter that maintains its airy structure.
- Dry Ingredient Incorporation: Delicately sift flour and baking powder over the wet ingredients. Employ a gentle folding technique to merge components, avoiding aggressive stirring that might deflate the mixture.
- Flavor Enhancement: Infuse the batter with vibrant lemon zest, tangy lemon juice, and smooth milk. Stir minimally to distribute ingredients evenly without compromising the batter’s delicate composition.
- Baking Process: Carefully pour batter into prepared tray, spreading uniformly with a spatula to ensure consistent depth. Position in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted emerges pristine and clean.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold flour to maintain the cake’s light, airy texture and avoid developing tough gluten strands that can make the cake dense.
- Zest Matters: Use fresh, unwaxed lemons for maximum flavor intensity; grate only the yellow part to avoid bitter white pith underneath.
- Temperature Control: Let ingredients like butter, eggs, and milk reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smoother incorporation and more even baking.
- Drizzle Technique: Cool cake completely before adding lemon syrup to prevent soggy texture; poke small holes with a skewer to help syrup penetrate evenly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 305
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 134 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg