Lemon Drizzle Cake & Iced Lemon Biscuits

A light, zezty, moist lemon cake with  sugary sweet lemon drizzle.. lets go!

What You Will Need:
170g S.R Flour
170g Butter
170g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1tbsp Baking Powder
2 Lemons ( Zest + Juice)
110g Icing Sugar
Milk - (Just a splash if needed)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Mix together both the sugar and the butter until light and creamy.

Beat egg in a cup and then stir in to the creamy mixture.

Zest the lemons and add ( Personal preference to how much zest you add, but I added about 1 and a half)

Stift in flour, and mix with a metal spoon. You may want to add a spash of milk to get a nice dropping consistency.

Grease and line your baking tin, add mixture and cook for 35 - 40 minutes

When cake is complete, juice the lemon and add icing sugar to the juice and stir

Whilst the cake is still warm , poke small holes in cake and add the drizzle mix.

When the cake is cool you can add a drizzle of some white icing. ( Just icing sugar and water, I havent included the measurements for this as you only need a small amount)

Now for the plain crunchy biscuit and lemon flavoured icing star shapes -

What You Will Need:
100g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
1 Egg (Beaten)
Vanilla Extract
Lemon Extract
275g Plain Flour
Icing Sugar, Yellow Food Colouring, Sprinkles, Shaped Cookie Cutter

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Mix together butter & sugar until creamy. Mix in the beaten egg gradually alongside a dash of vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour. Roll into a dough. Make sure to cover work surface with flour so that it doesnt stick

Cut dough into desired shapes and bake for around 12 minutes ( keep a close eye)

When the bisucits have cooled. Mix up some icing sugar with water to get however much you need and add a small drop of lemon extract. Mix in and then add a tiny amount of yellow food colouring to get a pastel yellow colour. Decorate as you please with sprinkles :)

Happy Baking!

Helen xX

Vanilla & Strawberry Celebration Cake

I have to admit this was definitely one of the best tasting cakes I have EVER made. I made this cake for my parents 30th Wedding Anniversary... way back in November, only just getting around to posting this, but its worth the wait and worth a try! Got to mention this was my first time using royal icing. Found it a bit tricky at first but practice makes perfect and I may well start incorporating it more into my cake ideas :)

What You Will Need:

Cake:

200g Butter
200g Caster Sugar
4 Medium Eggs
200g Self Raising Flour
Splash of milk
Vanilla Extract

Filling:

100g Butter
140g Icing Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Mackays Strawberry Jam - No Bits ( I find this jam to have the best sweet flavour)

Decoration:

Regal Ice - Ready To Roll by Dr Oetker (White)
Cherries
Jam (To stick the icing to the cake)


Method:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees and grease 2 cake tins

Cream together butter and sugar to form  a smooth creamy paste. Add vanilla extract.

In a cup beat together the eggs and gradually stir into this mixture.

When mixed, add the sieved flour. Fold together with a metal spoon. This is where I like to add some milk to get it to the consistency I prefer. It should have a light dropping consistency.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until light and springy.

* My cake was very light and airy, which made it more delicious. We do not want a heavy cake so do not over beat *

Leave cake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

For the icing mix the butter and icing sugar together, until it is completely smooth and creamy. Add a dash of vanilla extract.

Smother this onto one side of the cake sponge and smother lots of jam onto the remaining cake sponge. Be very generous ;) and sandwich both the sponges together

Next you want to either boil or melt the some jam in the microwave until it is a hot liquid. Brush this liquid over the cake

Now for the royal icing, it explains on the package how to use it but basically you take as much as you need ( I used about 3/4) and roll it between your hands until it becomes pliable  Then using a rolling pin roll it out to the thickness you require. Make sure you cover your work surface with lots of icing sugar first (not flour) so that it doesn't stick. When you get your desired thickness, CAREFULLY (!) use your rolling pin and place over the hot jam mix and onto the cake.

Press down carefully and mold to the cake. Cut excess icing off using a sharp knife.

Add cherries using the hot jam to stick them onto the cake

Now enjoy! I seriously loved this cake so much and was really proud of it.

Happy Baking!

Helen xX