Ingredients

Step by step

1. Pierce the lemon skin 3-4 times with a sharp knife, place in a small bowl, cover with clingfilm and heat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until tender (or boil in a small pan covered with water for about 20 minutes). Cut the lemon into quarters and remove all pips. Put it (and all its juices) into a food processor and blend until it's very finely chopped – you want a purée.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin, about 20cm x 9cm x 8cm deep, with baking paper.
3. Put the butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and creamy – this will take about 3 minutes. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition, adding a little flour if the mixture curdles. Fold in the rest of the flour and the lemon purée.
4. Spread the mixture in the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out cleanly.
5. Meanwhile, to make the drizzle, squeeze the juice from the 2 lemons into a jug and stir in 75g of the sugar. Remove the cake from the oven and pierce it all over with a cocktail stick. Pour over the lemon drizzle and leave the cake to cool in the tin. Slice the remaining lemon and put it in a pan with the remaining 25g sugar and 8 tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 12-15 minutes until the lemon slices are tender, watching that the syrup doesn't burn. Arrange the slices on top of the cake and pour over the juices.