Lemon Squares

• Everyone needs one good baking recipe in their repertoire.
• If I’m going to eat cake, I’d much rather bake it myself from scratch because I know exactly what is going in there and I can make it and enjoy it while it’s fresh.
• These Lemon Drizzle & Poppy Seed Squares are an indulgence, but I love any excuse to make them.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour (plus cooling time)

Makes: 16 squares

Nutritional information:

• Protein: 4.6g
• Fat: 5.6g
• Carbohydrates: 44.9g
• Fibre: 1.9g
• Calories: 252

Ingredients: For the cake

• 185ml warm milk
• 40g poppy seeds
• 220g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 300g self-raising flour
• 185g unsalted butter, softened
• zest of 1 lemon

For the lemon icing

• 300g icing sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:  

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Grease an 18cm (7inch) square tin and line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix the warm milk and poppy seeds in a small bowl or measuring jug and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until the mixture is fluffy. Add the flour, the milk and poppy seed mixture and the lemon zest, whisking after each addition.
4. Whisk for about 5 minutes, until the batter is pale and thick.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. If the cake is not golden-brown, increase the oven to 180°C/400°F/gas 4 and bake for a further 5 minutes.
6. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
7. For the lemon icing, place the icing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well until smooth.
8. Place the cooled cake on a board and cut into squares. Drizzle over the lemon icing and serve.