Lemon drizzle cake

This is a super moist lemon drizzle sponge cake with lemony buttercream icing. 

Sponge:

100g butter

4 eggs

1 ¼ cup sugar (3 dl)

3 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

just less than ½ cup lemon juice (1 dl)

3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp natural yogurt

3 tsp vanilla sugar

2,5 tsp baking powder

2 cups plain flour (5 dl)

Drizzle:

5 tbsp lemon juice

½ cup icing sugar

Buttercream icing:

175 gram butter (room temperature)

1 egg

4 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups icing sugar (5 dl)

Turn the oven on to 175 degrees. Grease and flour a baking tin lined with baking paper (you can use a rectangular oven tray, or for a higher sponge use a 24cm/10" round baking tin.

Melt the butter and leave to cool. Separate eggs and put the egg whites in the mixing bowl and keep the yolks aside so long. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until you get a hard white foam. Add the sugar a little at a time whilst still beating. The egg and sugar mix should get a bit shine as you add the sugar. Mix in egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, yogurt and oil. Mix vanilla sugar, baking powder and flour in a separate bowl, then slowly fold into the batter, preferably with a sifter.  Pour mix into the baking tin and bake in the oven on 175 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Check if cake is finished with the stick test. If the stick/toothpick/knife comes out clean and dry-your cake is finished.

Let cake cool for 10 minutes. Prick holes all over the cake with a fork and make the lemon juice drizzle by heating up lemon juice in a pan. Mix in icing sugar and stir until dissolved (if you want a more tangy and less sweet flavour, use a little less icing sugar in the drizzle).

Pour or spoon half of the drizzle over the top of the cake while the cake is still hot. Turn the cake out of its tin upside down and pour the rest of the drizzle over the bottom of the cake. Turn the cake right and leave to cool completely.

Make the buttercream icing by beating the room tempered butter until soft. Add the egg and mix. Mix in icing sugar little by little and beat until smooth. Mix in the lemon juice.

Cut the cake into two layers and spread a thin layer of buttercream between the sponges. Spread the rest of it on top. Refrigerate if you need the buttercream to set a little bit. Cut into desired pieces and enjoy!

This cake is also very nice served cool straight from the fridge.