In summer I eat stone fruit by the sink and bake a simple cake almost every week.
Summer baking never scared me - I can stand the heat. But it's got to be a quick affair. Nothing complicated.
Lazy Baking by Jess Elliott Dennison is THE cookbook I've been reaching for most often this June. A lovely collection of easy bakes that turn out well and welcome customisation.
My lemon vanilla pound cake is a riff on Jess's Grapefruit Drizzle Loaf.
Here, I've introduced almond flour - a mainstay in my kitchen - for the tender-est crumb, swapped grapefruit zest for lemon, and added the lemon juice (originally meant for the glaze) straight into the batter instead.
For simple cakes like this, you do need good-quality ingredients: butter, vanilla, and organic lemons. And do check that your almond flour (from peeled, untoasted almonds) is fresh. I keep mine in the fridge.
Everyday Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake
A tender crumb, a buttery mouth feel, and a classic match of sweet and tart. Comes together in minutes, using only one bowl.
* Ingredients
150 g self-raising flour
25 g almond flour (from peeled, untoasted almonds)
175 g brown sugar (I use Italian brown sugar from beets)
1 scant tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp ground ginger (optional)
pinch of salt
1 vanilla pod (or 1 heap tsp high-quality vanilla extract or paste)
3 eggs, preferably organic and free range
175 g high-quality butter, softened
1 organic, untreated lemon (zest and juice)
* Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (400°F/gas 6). Line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin with a thin strip of baking paper laid lengthways to prevent the short sides from sticking, then place a wider strip across the width to help lift the cake out once it's ready.
2. When the oven is almost ready, whisk together all the dry ingredients and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the scraped vanilla seeds (or extract/paste), softened butter, eggs, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and well combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving plate.
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