Lemon Drizzle - what makes a GOOD one and should you use waxed or unwaxed lemons?

[Yankydoodledandy]

Ive been tasked with making one. So my questions are:

1.What makes a good lemon drizzle cake - I'm thinking light, fluffy, zingy with a crusty lemon sugar topping - Question: how do I achieve all this!

2.Lemons - question: what's the difference between waxed or unwaxed?

Unwaxed if you wish to use the rind

Yes think it would be nice to grate some in - sorry for sounding really stupid but why unwaxed?

Which you definitely do for a good LWC!

You want to use ALL the lemon, zest and juice for lemoniess. And def butter not marge. You want the butter to be soft so that you can cream it nicely.

You’ll be zesting wax instead of rind!

Can sometimes get it off with hot water and a good scrub.

You grate the zest in so if it is waxed, you're grating the wax.

They wax lemons to put a shine on them and make them look pretty. Why would you want to eat the wax?

The BBC one is pretty foolproof.

Does anyone have a great recipe? I've never made it but it's my fav to eat.

Definitely unwaxed.

Mary Berry has a fabulous and foolproof lemon drizzle recipe that I recommend heartily.

Ah so wax is used for shine - I didnt realise that. Thank you for your advice everyone Im off to research recipes

MNer MarsLady's Lemon Drizzle was famously good, and may still be on MN if the recipe section still exists. (I haven't looked at it in ages.)

Unwaxed lemons are for when you need to use the peel, ie lemon drizzle cake. Waxed lemons are slightly cheaper, as I think waxed fruit lasts longer.

unwaxed lemons and This recipe - very easy

Unwaxed only. Use Tana Ramsey's recipe it's foolproof and perfect.

Mary Berry's one every time. It's pretty bombproof and I always add one more lemon's zest than it says.
queenofeverything.co.uk/2020/04/19/mary-berrys-lemon-cake/

I second Tana Ramsey lemon drizzle recipe.

I find most lemon drizzle recipes not to have sufficient lemon in them, but my tastes are apparently unusual! BBC good food is foolproof in terms of the baking but, in my view, needs more lemons.

Use flora buttery instead of butter. It makes it super light. I don't usually use brand recipes but the flora lemon drizzle cake is epic.

I second the Mary Berry lemon drizzle traybake.

It doesn't have to be butter BTW. The cake will taste of lemon, and tub Stork gives a lighter result.

I have made this recipe a lot and it is very popular.

however much lemon juice / zest the recipe tells you to use.....double it!

All of this. Unwaxed lemons - do you want wax in your cake?

And for the deluxe version, make your own lemon curd.

Look for the Paul Hollywood recipe. It's the best I've found. I reduce the mixed in sugar by 25% because as a household we don't have a very sweet tooth. It's delicious 🙃

This is the exact recipe I use. It always goes down a storm.

Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe.
160 ‘c fan assisted oven
4 oz butter ( softened)
6oz sugar
6oz self raising flour( sieved)
4 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Cream butter and sugar together
Add eggs one at a time and beat well
Add lemon zest.
Fold in
flour.
Add milk.

Mixture should drop off a metal spoon after the count of 3. If not add another tablespoon of milk, stir and try 3 second drop from spoon.keep adding milk one spoon at a time till 3 second drop consistency is reach .
Put mix into a lined one pound loaf tin and cook at 160 c for 45 mins.
Syrup

Mix juice of one lemon with 2 and half ounces of sugar in a pan / microwave till melted.

Using a skewer make about 80 holes all over the cake down to the base. Using a pastry brush keep brushing the lemon syrup on top of the cake until used all the syrup . Leave to cool in tin. Xx

Nigellas cake is perfect
un waxed as pp said
oh and I don’t make the drizzle as sweet , I like my cake to have a bit of a sharpness to it , appreciate that’s not for everyone though

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Traybake.

Very light and fluffy.

I use more drizzle and make sure it is drenched. Soaked into numerous holes all over the cake, excess on top. Leave the first coat to set and then add a second coat drizzled over.