Lime Drizzle Cake

Now I don’t usually bake cakes, too much precision measurement. But lime drizzle cake is easy, especially when someone else makes it for you – thanks Nina.

This is a slightly modified recipe from the ‘Maggs School of Cake’ (my mother in law). It’s been handed down through the generations well only one actually and I felt the recipe was worth stealing and sharing. The original recipe uses lemons instead of lime. I prefer to use limes as it adds an intense burst of citrus and the extra colour from the green streaks of zest looks great when you slice the cake. The great thing about this cake is that it will keep for a few days (though not in our house) without drying out.

250gm butter
2 cups plain flour
2 Cups caster sugar
250gm sour cream
2 tsp baking powder
6 Eggs
3 Limes (use a zester to make 3-4 tsp of zest and juice the rest)

Beat the sugar and the butter together until creamy. If it’s a chilly day, cut the butter into small cubes and leave until it reaches room temperature – it makes the beating process faster. I used an electric whisk for efficiency. If you do this make sure you use a large bowl, otherwise you will end up with cake mix across most of the kitchen and yourself.

Action shot!

Now add the 6, yes 6 eggs one at a time, along with the zest and sour cream mixing as you go. Blend it all together. Now take a spoon and gently fold in the 2 cups of flour and the baking powder (sieve the flour and baking powder first to remove lumps). Make sure that you fold rather than beat the flour in as this keeps the cake light and airy.

Light and fluffy

: Time for zest!

Folding in flour to Lime drizzle cake mix

Fold that flour in!

Transfer to a greased baking tin and bake for 50-60 mins at 180 degrees c. If you have an oven that is like an industrial incinerator you may want to drop the temperature to about 150/160 and bake for a little longer.When the cake is golden brown, remove from the oven and put a skewer in, if the skewer comes out without cake mix stuck to it, your cake is ready. If not put it back in for another 5-10 minutes.

Once baked, make holes with a skewer in the top of the cake. Mix the lime juice with 3 tsp of caster sugar, (warm the lime juice to melt the sugar). Gently pour the lime juice over the top of the cake allowing it to run into the holes. You can experiment with the mix of sugar to lime juice to get the right balance of bitter/sweet.

Once the cake has cooled decorate with an icing sugar and warm water mix. The icing sugar mix should be the consistency of thick cream so you can just about pour it.

Finish off with some fresh lime zest sprinkled on the top and display the cake on a nice doily – or not

Behold, it’s drizzled and ready.

Tags: Cakes, Limes

About the Author

Gareth Englishman in Sydney loves a whisky, pies and all things savoury. Digital Marketer by day, cook the rest of the time. Amateur writer, photographer & aspiring anthropologists.