Lemon Drizzle Cake with Elderberries

This is the cake I made for my first Mill Bakers. Basically I have been accepted to be one of the bakers for events and bake sales at my local community centre. I set about making it a couple of Saturdays ago and I had some trouble!

First of all it wouldn't cook, I would guess that the added moisture of the berries caused it to cook slower than my normal lemon drizzle cake, and then I turned the temperature up and of course it burnt! So I did what any girl would do in that situation, I rang my Mum! and she suggested I chopped the top off and covered it in a mixture of lemon juice and icing. I did eat the burnt bits and they were very tasty, so definitely a good cake to make in Autumn when the elderberries are ripe.

Lemon Drizzle Cake with Elderberries
(Makes 1 2lb loaf tin sized cake)

225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs finely grated
zest 1 lemon
225g self-raising flour
200g elderberries

For the drizzle topping juice
1½ lemons
85g caster sugar

Heat oven to 180C. Beat together the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through. Sift in the flour, then add the lemon zest and mix until well combined. Add in the elderberries and mix carefully to combine.

Line a loaf tin (8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon. Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 

While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the juice of the lemons and the caster sugar to make the drizzle. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle – the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve.