Wake up the taste buds with Lemon and Ginger Loaf

Lemon and Ginger Loaf

Here’s a recipe from Grandma to put a spring in our steps with a brilliant flavour combination. Lemon and ginger are well known old fashioned remedies to uplift our mood and banish the blues. It’s a perfect companion with an afternoon pot of tea or coffee and goes down superbly with my favourite Lemon and Ginger tea infusion.

Lemon and Ginger Loaf

110g/4 oz butter

175g/6 oz caster sugar

Grated zest of 2 lemons

2 eggs (beaten)

175g/6 oz self raising flour

2 tsp ground ginger

Milk to mix

Crystallised ginger

25g/1 oz granulated sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Pre heat the oven to Mark 4, 350F, 180C. Grease a 1kg/2lb loaf tin.  Cream the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Mix in the flour and the ginger. Add a little milk to soften the mixture so it drops off the spoon.  Put the mixture in the loaf tin and smooth the top. Decorate the top with pieces of Crystallised ginger. Bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes until risen and firm on top. 

For the topping

Prepare the lemon syrup by heating the lemon juice and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Once the cake is out of the oven, pierce the top with a cake skewer and pour over the lemon syrup. Leave the cake in the tin until cool.

Meryl’s tip :  Wrap the remaining lemon in clingfilm and it will keep in the fridge for a few days to use in cooking or baking. Or squeeze the lemon juice and freeze until required.