Lemon cake

Cream the butter and sugar until pale, then mix in the eggs gradually so the batter stays smooth. Bake a loaf cake at 170 °C fan (190 °C conventional) for about 45–55 minutes; start checking when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Use finely grated zest for the strongest lemon aroma, and add juice for a sharper tang. Grate only the yellow peel, not the bitter white pith, and avoid adding lots of juice because extra liquid can make the cake dense.

Stir a little lemon juice into sifted icing sugar, a few drops at a time, until it is thick but still drizzles from a spoon. Pour it over a completely cool cake so it sets rather than melting into the crumb.

Keep an uniced lemon cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days; refrigerate it if it has cream-cheese icing. Freeze slices or a whole uniced cake, well wrapped, for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature.

Serve it with tea or coffee, or pair a slice with fresh berries and lightly whipped cream. Lemon cake also works well as the base for a trifle layered with fruit and custard.

Yes. Replace the lemon zest and juice with orange zest and juice in roughly the same amounts; the cake will taste sweeter and less sharp, so a little lemon juice can bring back some tang.