Serves: Makes about 28 - Time:
I love lemon drizzle cakes but find the loaf-shaped ones a problem. I don’t think the batter bakes well in a loaf tin-the outside can often be a tad overdone before the centre is cooked through. The other thing is that I love a slice but can rarely get through a whole cake while it is still fresh. Enter stage right mini drizzle cakes-my solution to the problem. These bite-size versions are just perfect and you can freeze them and lift out as many as you like, when you like. I’ve added some crushed amaretti biscuits for a little flavour and texture – or Lotus caramelised biscuits can be used to good effect too. Silicone moulds don’t tend to need greasing but non-stick cooking spray is a good way to ensure the cakes pop out of the moulds.
Ingredients
- For the cake batter
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 125g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 110g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 55g amaretti biscuits (or Lotus biscuits), crushed to a fine powder
- 125g plain flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 1 tablespoon milk
- For the drizzle
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 150g granulated sugar
Method
- Heat the oven to fan 180˚c, mark 4. If necessary, lightly spray the 24-hole cake mould with non-stick cooking spray. Put all the ingredients for the cake batter into the bowl of a food processor or food mixer and blend until smooth. To fill the mould quickly and easily spoon the batter into a disposable piping bag, cut the end to create a small opening and pipe the batter into the holes. Don’t overfill the moulds- three-quarters full is about right.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the cakes are risen and golden. Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in the mould for 6-7 minutes. Gently loosen the cakes from the moulds but don’t remove them.
- Mix the lemon juice with the granulated sugar and spoon the sugary liquid over each cake. Leave until completely cold then remove the cakes from the holes. If you are not eating them straight away freeze the cakes on a baking tray lined with non-stick parchment. Once frozen they can be put in a plastic bag.
