I am back! After months of recipe testing, months of photo shooting, weeks of constant writing, days of proofreading more than 125 recipes, I can definitely say I am back with a vengeance. Thank you for sticking around while I was preparing my new cookbook.

I am sharing with you this cake, which kept me company during the long hours in front of my laptop. I was in fact, I was hooked on this cake, its’ lemony taste and aroma. Its buttery and zesty and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. It’s like a lemon drizzle cake but I added elderflower tea in the syrup to make it even more aromatic and somewhat …”royal”.

Ingredients:

For the syrup:

• ½ cup elderflower tea
• 2 Tbs granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs lemon juice

 For the cake:

• 250 grams unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs lemon zest
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup whole milk

For the glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 Tbs lemon juice

Method:

First make the syrup by mixing all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Let it cool to room temperature. You can transfer in the fridge to speed up the process.

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 175 C, fan. Line the sides and bottom of a 12 x 25 cm loaf pan with greaseproof paper. Leave some paper hanging from the sides.

Beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/egg mixture. Beat until combined. Add milk and remaining flour. Beat until combined.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. As soon as cake comes out of the oven, take a wooden skewer and prick all over. Brush the syrup on its entire surface. It may seem like a lot but it’s not.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using the paper lift the cake out of the pan. Transfer in a serving plate. Discard the paper.

Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with the juice in a small bowl.

Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle with the glaze. Garnish with some extra lemon zest if you like. Let the glaze set, slice and serve.