When life gives you lemons...

When life gives you lemons... and oranges, limes, mandarins and more... grow them!

 

Fresh citrus on hand means no last-minute dashes to the store – just step outside and pick what you need. Easier to grow than you’d think, citrus thrives in gardens or pots and rewards you with years of fruit for desserts, marmalades and refreshing drinks. Chin chin!

 

 

Lemon pound cake with lemon sugar glaze and ice cream

PREPARATION:

20 minutes

COOKING:

50-60 minutes

CHILL TIME FOR GLAZE:

10 minutes

SERVES:

8

 

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1¾ cups (350g) caster sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest

• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups (300g) plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ cup (120ml) milk

LEMON SUGAR GLAZE

• cup (160g) icing sugar

• 2–3 Tbsp lemon juice (adjust for desired thickness)

TO SERVE

• Scoop of vanilla or lemon gelato

• Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

• Fresh mint leaves

• Lemon slices or twists
  
   

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160°C(fan-forced). Grease and line a loaf tin.

2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well.

3. Add lemon zest, juice and vanilla. Beat briefly to combine.

4. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in alternately with the milk.

5. Pour into prepared tin and smooth top. Bake 50–60 minutes or until golden and skewer comes out clean.

6. Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to rack.

7. Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour over warm cake and let drip down sides.

8. Serve sliced, with generous scoop of ice cream, zest and mint to garnish.

 

TOP TIP 

Watch in final 10 minutes not to over bake cake but to spring back gently when you touch it, to keep that melt-in-your-mouth magic.

 

TOP TIP 

Always zest your lemons before juicing—zesting a squishy lemon is like chasing a runaway puppy. It just won’t stay still!