Famous faces' favourite fancies – Gin and lemon drizzle cake

I was sad to read about the recent death of Sir Terry Wogan as he was one of those national treasure celebrities who was just part of your life without you ever realising it.  From loving his hilarious, disrespectful commentary of the Eurovision Song Contest (being allowed to stay up late for this was a treat in itself) to watching his face fall when Kenny Everett broke his funny stick microphone in Blankety Blank, if you were a child of the 70s and 80s he was part of the scenery.

His early evening chat show in the 80s and early 90s was one of the few shows to see bands perform their new singles and who can forget that incredible David Icke interview ?(shockingly this was 1991 - 25 years ago!!!! I've never felt so old!)  His charm, wit and refusal to take himself seriously was totally endearing and why people loved him; it takes a lot of talent to make everything seem so effortless.

Sadly, I didn’t make his request during his life time but felt it right to make it in tribute to him, and all the entertainment he provided us with. I can’t make his actual request – Lady Wogan’s lemon drizzle cake – but I decided to make something a little out of the ordinary and added a measure of gin to the lemon drizzle mix.  Sort of my way of toasting the inimitable Sir Terry!

The addition of the gin added a lovely extra element to the cake – it gave an almost sherbet-like zing to the drizzle.  I never used to like gin but have found that I now rather like the less perfumed versions, and Tanqueray is my favourite.  If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy a gin and lemon, this might just be it!

Ingredients

For the cake:
175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
2 eggs
175g self raising flour
1 lemon, zest and juice

For the drizzle:
50g golden caster sugar
1 lemon, zest and juice
25ml gin – I used Tanqueray

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan oven 160C/350F/gas mark 4.

Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.

Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and whippy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Fold in the flour.

Fold in the lemon zest and juice.

Spoon into the loaf tin and level the surface.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, stir together the sugar, zest, lemon juice and gin to make the drizzle.

As soon as the cake is baked – and while it is still in the tin – pierce the sponge with a skewer before brushing the drizzle mixture over the top of the cake.

Leave to cool.  I leave it in the tin so the drizzle has to be absorbed and can’t ooze out anywhere.

Serve in generous slices.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.