Daisy Garnett's Lemon Pound Cake

A more buttery version of a traditional recipe.

1. 1

   Have all your ingredients at room temperature and preheat your oven to 180C/ 160Cfan/350F/gas 4.

2. 2

   Grease and sprinkle with flour a 22cm-long loaf tin, or line the bottom with parchment paper.

3. 3

   In a largish bowl, stir together the eggs and milk with the vanilla extract.

4. 4

   In another, larger bowl, whisk together the plain flour, caster sugar, poppy seeds (if you are using them), lemon zest, baking powder and salt.

5. 5

   Add half the egg mixture to the flour mixture, along with the butter, and beat on a low speed in a mixer until the dry ingredients are moistened.

6. 6

   Increase the speed to high and beat for exactly one minute.

7. 7

   Scrape the sides of the bowl and gradually add the remaining egg mixture in two parts, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

8. 8

   Scraping around the inside of the bowl, transfer the batter to the tin and spread out the mixture evenly.

9. 9

   Bake until a skewer or toothpick inserted at the centre comes away clean – 50-65 minutes.

10. 10

    Just before the cake is ready, make the syrup to drizzle over it by placing the strained lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and heating gently, stirring, until all the sugar has dissolved.

11. 11

    As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place it (still in its pan) on a rack and poke it all over with a wooden skewer and brush with half the lemon syrup.

12. 12

    Let it cool in the pan for ten minutes, then slide a slim knife around the cake to loosen it from the pan, and invert it on to a greased rack.

13. 13

    Peel off the parchment-paper lining if you used one.

14. 14

    Poke the bottom of the cake as you did the top and brush on some more of the syrup.

15. 15

    Invert again on to another greased rack and brush the remaining syrup over the sides of the cake.

16. 16

    Let it cool, right-side up, on the rack.

17. 17

    The cake is best if wrapped and stored in an airtight container for 24 hours before serving.

18. 18

    To make the lemon icing, gently heat the double cream and beat it together with the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth.

19. 19

    Add the lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt and mix together until smooth.

20. 20

    You can always add in a bit more icing sugar or lemon juice if you think the consistency needs thickening or thinning.