Name: Lemon and Dubonnet Drizzle Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 130g unsalted butter, at room temperature; 130g caster sugar; 2 eggs; 160g plain/all-purpose flour; 20g cornflour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon fine salt; 100g sour cream; grated zest from 2 medium sized lemons; 1 tablespoon water; 80g caster sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons Dubonnet; 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Dubonnet; 100g icing sugar

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Light, fluffy, moist and buttery sponge loaf bursting with lemon and vanilla, drizzled with a sweet and tangy lemon and Dubonnet syrup and topped with a Dubonnet icing. Fresh and delicious, you are going to love this take on the ever popular and classic Lemon Drizzle Cake.

The Queen and Dubonnet

The Queen is well known for her love of a cheeky Dubonnet. Traditionally served with gin and lemon juice or a slice of lemon, this delectable combination was the inspiration behind this version of the cake. If you are entertaining over the long weekend, or simply want to treat yourself, this will be the perfect cake to have to hand, celebrating the Queen and her Platinum Jubilee.

How to make Lemon and Dubonnet Drizzle Cake

If you would prefer a vegan version of this recipe, please see here.

**Vegan Lemon and Dubonnet Drizzle Cake**

Collect all the ingredients together:

For the basic cake –

unsalted butter, at room temperature
caster sugar
large eggs
plain/all-purpose flour
corn flour
baking powder
bicarbonate of soda
vanilla extract
fine salt
sour cream
grated lemon zest

For the soaking syrup –

water
caster sugar
lemon juice
Dubonnet

For the icing –

Dubonnet
icing sugar

First make the sponge cake:

It is important that the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to beat. If it is a little hard, beat it with a whisk before adding the other ingredients. If it is already quite soft, you do not need to do this. For more information on softening butter, see here.
Measure all the remaining ingredients, apart from the lemon zest, into the mixing bowl with the butter. I place my mixing bowl on top my scales and weigh everything in directly.
Use an electric whisk to beat until combined. This should take less than a minute.
Grate the lemon zest directly into the bowl and fold into the cake batter. Be careful not to over-mix at this stage.
Tip into your lined baking tin and level the surface, ensuring the cake goes into all the corners.
Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes until cooked.

Make the soaking syrup and drizzle over cake:

Heat the water and caster sugar in a saucepan over a moderately low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and Dubonnet. The syrup is now ready.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, puncture it all over with a cake tester or skewer.
Spoon or brush the syrup over the cake, trying to let the middle absorb it, as well as the sides.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Cover with icing:

When the cake is cool, mix the Dubonnet with the icing sugar.
Use a balloon whisk to mix well, until there are no lumps. It should be a pouring consistency. If it is too thick, add a little more Dubonnet. If it is too runny, add a little extra sugar.
Remove the baking parchment from the cooled cake and place it on a wire rack on a baking tray – this is just to help with easy clean up incase the icing trickles off the cake.
Pour the icing over the cake, ensuring it covers the top of the cake and let it trickle down the sides

Made this recipe?

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