Lemon Drizzle Cake With Lemon Buttercream Filling

I thought I would make a lemon drizzle cake so looked for some good recipes and had a go.  My first attempt was pretty good, although the frosting topping did not work very well, as the recipe I used was not very clear, so basically there was no crunch and very very tart at the top of the cake.

I am a bit of a perfectionist so I wanted to have another go (hubby very pleased as he has a very sweet tooth!!), and followed a different recipe with regards to the topping.  I then decided also to try it with a lemon buttercream filling, which I have to say added to the flavour.  However, for my 3rd attempt I went one step further and added some lemon curd in addition to the lemon buttercream.  This was a real success so here is my recipe so please give it a go, and I am sure it will be a favourite with all the family. 

Lemon Drizzle Cake With Lemon Buttercream Filling

Ingredients for Cake
225g Unsalted Butter (very soft, I do put mine in the microwave for a few seconds even to the point of there being some liquid).  I find the softer the butter the lighter the sponge
225g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
Zest of 1 lemon

Crunchy Topping
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
50g Granulated Sugar

Lemon Buttercream Filling (approximate, make to your taste)
113g Icing Sugar
65g Butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Lemon curd – approximate
1 Tablespoon

Method

1.  Line a small loaf tin in the base and around the sides with greaseproof paper or baking paper (which I prefer) and grease well, and turn oven on to 180 or 160 (fan oven)

2.  Cream the butter and sugar together, and then slowly add the beaten eggs

3.  Sieve the flour and stir in the mixture with a metal spoon together with the zest of the lemon.

4.  Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes

5.  To check if the cake is cooked insert a skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked.  It should also spring back when you touch it

6.  Whilst still in the tin insert a skewer over the top going almost down to the bottom so that the drizzle goes all the way down the cake (and not as I did on my first attempt as I only inserted it a little way into the cake, hence it was only the top of the cake was lemony and very tart)

7.  Make the drizzle by stirring the sugar into the lemon juice

8.  When the cake is cold and still in the tin drizzle the topping over the top, the lemon juice sinks into the cake and the sugar crystalises on the top giving it a lovely crunchy topping

9.  When the cake is completely cold lift out of the tin and carefully peel off the lining paper

10.  You can leave the cake as it is, or slice it in half and  spread some lemon curd (optional) and then the lemon buttercream to the bottom half

11.  Sandwich together, slice and enjoy, yum, yum

My Lemon Drizzle Cake With Lemon Buttercream Filling