Lemon Drizzle Slices
The perfect dessert for a sunny Sunday afternoon
As a result of all this bright weather we’ve been blessed with, I’ve really been drawn to recipes that are not only lighter and brighter in texture, but also in colour and taste. And I think these tick all those boxes. They’re super light and fluffy, with a soft citrus flavour that isn’t too intense. This is just a great dessert all around, especially for summer, when it’s too hot for heavy desserts.
This bake will yield about 8 servings. The slices freeze incredibly well after being iced, but to be honest, they'll probably disappear quickly enough because they're that good. They definitely don't hang around in my little ol' household of two, I can tell you that.
Recipe / serves 8
Ingredients
For the slices
115g butter, melted
150g granulated or caster sugar
1 egg, room temperature
125g plain yoghurt, room temperature
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
115g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
For the lemon glaze
115g icing sugar, sifted
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a square tin between 20 - 25cm / 8 - 10 inches with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk the melted butter and sugar together until combined, then add the egg, yoghurt, lemon juice and zest. Whisk again until fully combined.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, and fold gently until no dry streaks remain.
Pour the mixture into the tin, then smooth the top with a offset spatula.
To get a super flat bake, make a divot in the middle of the mixture, pushing it out to the edges so it's slightly higher than the center.
Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before icing - this should take about 30-60 mins.
When your cake is fully cooled, make the icing. Mix the icing sugar with 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice to start, adding more as needed until a thick glaze forms. If the icing is too runny, add a teaspoon of icing sugar.
Spread the icing over the cake, and scatter the lemon zest on top. Allow 30 minutes for the icing to set completely before slicing into 8 pieces.
Notes
Use a lemon that is at room temperature to get the maximum amount of juice from it! If you forget, you can microwave the lemon at a low temperature for about a minute to take the chill out of it.
Make sure the egg is at room temperature for at least an hour before baking, and the plain yoghurt is taken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before using.
Make sure you allow the cake to cool completely before icing, and leave the freshly iced cake to set fully for about 30 minutes before slicing. Or if you can’t wait that long, dig in straight away.
Storage
Keep the slices in a container in a cool, dark place for up to four days.
You can also freeze them for up to three months. Allow them to come to room temperature slowly when defrosting - don’t microwave them, your icing will evaporate. Speaking from experience here.
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