Prep time:

Cooking time: 1 hour

Total time:

Serves: 16

350g self-raising flour

350g caster sugar

300g baking margarine (or 150g softened butter & 150ml sunflower oil)

5 medium sized eggs

1tsp baking powder

2tbsp soured cream

100ml lemon juice

2 zest of lemon

1tsp vanilla essence

2tbsp poppyseeds

2tbsp milk (depending on batter consistency)

For the simple lemony icing:

150g icing sugar

1tbsp lemon juice

edible flowers – (I picked violas and primroses) to decorate – optional

‘Bundt’ refers to the shape of the pan – round and decorative, with a hole in the middle. They are often plain, but can be dusted with sugar or iced.

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C. Grease the inside of the bundt tin really well – it is easy for this cake to get stuck in the tin, so I brush with oil and then sprinkle with flour.
  2. Cream together the fat (baking margarine keeps a large cake light in texture) and sugar for 5 mins (with electric mixer) until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating well to prevent curdling. Sift flour into the mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir carefully to combine – don’t over mix. Add some milk if too thick – it should just about drop off a spoon. Spoon into the tin and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for 50 mins, then check – it could take an extra 5-10 minutes (a skewer should come out clean).
  3. Wait for the cake to cool to room temperature, as it should shrink back from the tin a little, then carefully invert over a plate and gently encourage the cake out. If it gets stuck, do your best to repair, and then cover with icing – no one will know.
  4. Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice – consistency is all here – too thin and it will slide off the cake, too thick and you won’t get the nice ‘drip’ effect, so add the lemon juice slowly, testing the consistency as you go. Use edible flowers to decorate for a lovely spring flourish.

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether

You may also like

Peach & pistachio cake

This is an end of summer take on a Victoria sandwich, using peaches and mascarpone instead of jam and cream. Rose and lemon drizzle keeps the cake moist and rich, while pistachios add colour and a luxurious crunch.

Beetroot & feta salad

Beetroots are very easy to grow, and the great thing about home grown is that they can be picked when the roots are nice and small, which will make them sweeter when cooked (I roast them unpeeled in a low...

Grilled mackerel with roasted vegetables

It is the height of the mackerel season around our shores and this is such a tasty and very healthy fish, really easy to prepare and served on a simple dish of colourful Mediterranean vegetables.