Lavender and lemon drizzle cake

My sister-in-law Jake is getting married to her fiance (John) this weekend and we are very excited.  My talented mother-in-law Joan has made and decorated the wedding cake and has been inspiring me to do a little baking myself. 

I love lemon drizzle cake and have been experimenting with Joan's basic recipe for a few months.  I found that the addition of lavender mellows the lemon and the two flavours together embody the essence of spring.  I'm actually giving you two recipes in one as if you omit the lavender from the recipe you have the perfect lemon drizzle cake - sticky, zingy and moist. 

I hope you have a fabulous Easter weekend.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 175 grams butter 
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender
• 175 grams golden caster sugar 
• 3 large eggs - beaten 
• 175 grams self raising flour - sieved
• Grated rind of three lemons
• 2 tablespoons lemon curd

For the drizzle:

• 200 grams icing sugar
• Juice of three lemons 

To garnish:

• 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
2. Grease a 1lb loaf tin.
3. Cream the butter, lavender and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the beaten eggs.
5. Now fold in the sieved flour, lemon rind and lemon curd.
6. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and loosely cover with parchment paper.
7. Place in the oven until risen and firm.  This should be in the region of 40 minutes but use a skewer to check that it is cooked in the middle.  The skewer should come out of the cake completely clean.
8. While the cake is cooking combine the ingredients for the drizzle and stir well to dissolve the sugar.  Leave to one side.
9. When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.
10. Remove the cake from the loaf tin and stand it on a large plate. 
11. Skewer the top of the cake several times and then carefully spoon the drizzle over the cake.  Do this slowly to give the cake a chance to absorb the drizzle before adding more.  The laws of gravity mean that the drizzle will pour down the sides of the cake but that just adds to the general stickiness.
12. Garnish with the remaining dried lavender.
13. Serve with a cup of tea.

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