Blueberry & lemon drizzle cake

Good job I managed to take this picture before I dropped this cake all over the floor. Don’t worry, I managed to scoop most of it up within three seconds, only two slices were covered in dog hair. I really should clean my kitchen.
Anyway, dropping a cake doesn’t really matter when the person you’re making it for is no longer around to eat it. This week my dear old dad, who died seven years ago in a motorbike accident, would have turned 64. Crikey seven years, what the hell have I been doing for seven years? I got a new job and bought a  hoover but right now that’s all I can think of. I really should use that hoover. Still can’t believe he’s gone.
So I’m going to go and have a cry now so will keep this brief. Happy birthday for Thursday dad, I’ll be sure to scoff this cake I made for you on your behalf, dog hairs and all.

Blueberry & lemon drizzle cake
Makes 1 loaf / Hands on time 25 mins / Total time 1 hr 15 mins + cooling / V
You’ll need: A 9 inch loaf tin and a food mixer.
210g unsalted butter
130g plain flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Zest of a lemon
3 medium eggs
2 medium egg yolks
210g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
85g fresh blueberries
For the drizzle
Juice of a lemon
30g golden caster sugar

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3. Grease a loaf tin with butter and line the bottom with baking paper. Put to one side.
2. In a small saucepan melt the butter on a low heat. Once half the butter has melted, take off the heat and leave to one side, it will continue to melt while it cools.
3. Zest and juice your lemon but keep them separate as you’ll need the zest for the cake but the juice for the drizzle. Put both to one side.
4. Sieve the flour into a large bowl along with the baking powder and salt, put to one side. Place near your mixer. Crack 3 eggs into your mixer, followed by 2 egg yolks, caster sugar and vanilla essence. Beat on a medium high speed until thick and pale (this should take about 5 mins). Reduce the speed to low and add the lemon zest and half the flour. Mix until only a few streaks remain and then add the rest. Once combined increase the speed to a low medium and slowly pour in the melted butter.
5. Ladle half the mixture into your loaf tin and top with the fresh blueberries. Add the rest of the mixture on top. (It’s important to line your loaf tin with baking paper as the blueberries will sink to the bottom during baking. Without baking paper most of your blueberries will stay in your loaf tin when you turn it out and we don’t want that).
6. Bake for 50-55 minutes until risen and golden in colour. To check the cake is cooked, insert a skewer into the middle, if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Meanwhile make the drizzle by mixing together 30g of sugar and the juice of a lemon.
7. While your cake is still warm, prick it with a skewer or fork and pour over the drizzle. Leave to cool completely before turning out (the bottom of the cake will be quite soft because of the blueberries so avoid putting it on a cooling rack, it will only seep through the holes). Cut into thick slices and serve with tea.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian