how do I get a decent crackle glaze on a lemon drizzle cake?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I usually mix lemon juice and sugar and pour it over but recently at a holiday cottage we stayed at they left a homemade cake for us and it had a proper sugary glaze that cracked when I cut into it

I need to make a cake for a friend and I'd like to recreate what we had.

TIA

Did it have undissolved sugar (ie you could still see the granules)? If so look up Mary berry lemon drizzle tray bake. That has a crunchy sugar topping.

No, it was like a melted thick later on top. Thanks anyway

It was made the day before (or before that).
There's no secret to it, the icing dries after a few days so it cracks when cut.

Oh, and try adding a drop of lemon cordial to the sugar and lemon.

Kiora-but my glaze looks nothing like this one did even if I leave it for a day. I do agree though that one day old lemon cake is the BEST!

The glaze was white but no obvious sugar granules. I tried icing sugar but that just sinks into the cake -which is no bad thing but not what I was after.

www.raymondblanc.com/recipes/lemon-cake/

Something more like this??

Really want lemon cake now!

Do you make the syrup up in advanced.

I've found I get the best results if I prick the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then wait about 5/10 mins, you need the cake to be warm but not hot so it doesn't melt the sugar, mix sugar and lemon juice and pour straight over the cake. So the juice soaks into the cake and the sugar stays on top.

I make the icing really thick, If you turn the bowl upside down it won't run. Maybe that's what she did?

Could it be made with icing sugar and lemon juice? That gives it a white, cloudy tinge

I know what you mean OP. When I make a lemon drizzle, the syrup soaks right in. I never get a lovely crunchy crackly topping.

Usually I pour the hot syrup on the quite-hot cake. Maybe you get it to set crunchy by pouring hot syrup on cold cake, or cold syrup on hot cake, or cold syrup on cold cake?

There's a Tana Ramsay cake I've bookmarked on the BBC website which looks perfect. Hang on... I'll get the link.

Loooook:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4942/lemon-drizzle-cake

According to the recipe, you just mix the lemon juice and caster sugar together (not dissolving on the hob like I would) and pour it over the warm cake.

I do caster sugar and lemon juice because bloody icing sugar flies everywhere and it always goes crispy.

If you use granulated sugar rather than caster sugar you get a crunchier topping.

I emailed the owner of the holiday cottage and asked for the recipe so...she uses TONS more sugar than I do plus juice of 2 lemons. Lovely woman

Thanks everyone for suggestions

How much sugar? I've wanted to know this for ages as that to me just makes it the perfect lemon drizzle and I've never managed it.

Try it out and share (and was it hot cake/hot icing or cold cake/hot icing?????)

Sadly, I made that Tanya Ramsey cake and didn't get a glaze like that.

130 g of sugar to the juice of 2 lemons. Prick all over the second it comes out of the oven and pour over and leave to cool.

I use 150g of sugar to 1 1/2 to 2 lemons