Bilbos comp

Lemon drizzle cake with saffron

You won’t need to journey far for this teatime treasure, as served at the Hobbit’s ‘Unexpected Party’

By , 23 February 2016

(1 vote)

Lemon drizzle cake with saffron

  • 1 Hour 15 Mins

  • Serves: 14

  • Price: 32p per serving

Nutritional Info
Each 72g serving contains

  • Energy

    1092KJ

    261KCAL

    13%

  • Fat

    13.0g

    high

    19%

  • Saturates

    7.1g

    high

    36%

  • Sugars

    20.2g

    high

    22%

  • Salt

    0.36g

    med

    6%
of your reference intake.
Typical energy values per 100g: 1517kJ/363kcal.
Ingredients
  • 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • Good pinch saffron strands
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • Juice of 2-3 lemons (about 100ml), plus zest of 1 lemon
  • 275g caster sugar
  • 2 level tbsp rosemary leaves
  • 175g self raising flour
  • 50g plain flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2tbsp poppy seeds
Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 24cm loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Put the saffron in 1tbsp cold water. Leave to infuse for 20 mins.

  • For the drizzle, add the rosemary sprig to the lemon juice and gently stir in 100g of the sugar. Set aside.

  • Process the rosemary leaves with both types of flour, until everything is totally mixed together and the rosemary is blitzed into fine green flecks.

  • Beat the butter and remaining sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding 1tbsp of the rosemary flour with the last one, then mix in the saffron and water. Fold in the rest of the flour and the lemon zest.

  • Transfer to the tin, and bake for 45-55 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

  • Remove the cake from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 mins and pierce the top all over with a skewer, to allow the drizzle to soak into the sponge.

  • Remove the rosemary sprig from the drizzle, stir in the poppy seeds and spoon over the cake. Leave to cool in the tin before serving.