lemon infused buttermilk cake with an orange drizzle

Sometimes in life a cup of tea just isnt enough to hit the spot + whats nicer than a biscuit with a cup of tea....CAKE thats what.
Well this cake is just perfect with a nice hot cup of tea especially when a certain Lillie-B is taking her nap + a certain mammy needs a recharge from the constant tornado of destruction that is her two little darlings!!!!
This recipe actually makes two loaf cakes so you'll always have an emergency cake in the freezer for any excuse possible.

For this recipe you will need.
2 cups of butter
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup of lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup butter milk
3 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the sugar syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon + orange juice

For the orange drizzle
2 cups icing sugar
Orange juice

Firstly pre heat your oven @160'
Cream your soft butter + sugar together until light and creamy next add your eggs one at a time so as not to split. Once everything has combined well add the zest of your lemon + the juice of the lemon, then combine.

In another bowl combine your dry ingredients well making sure there are no lumps or bumps. Now we are going to add your dry ingredients + your buttermilk to your sugar, butter + eggs. Do this in rotation, flour first then buttermilk, then flour again + lastly the last of your buttermilk.

Scrape the bottom of your bowl so as to make sure all the buttery floury mixture is co operating. So for fun I have used a 2lb loaf tin + a 8" round tin to bake my cakes in but you can use any combo you like.
Rub your butter all over the inside of the tins so the cake wont stick to the sides, evenly pour your mixture into both your pans + bakes @160' for 40mins.

While the cakes are baking away + making your kitchen fill with the yummy smell of lemons you can go ahead + make your lemony  orange syrup + your orange drizzle.

Simply add 1/2 cup of sugar + 1/2 cup of lemon +orange juice to a wee bowl stirring well to dissolve all the sugar....The syrups done so lets make the orange drizzle. Pop 2 cups of icing sugar in a bowl + slowly add a small amount of orange juice in now give it stir you want the drizzle to be runny enough to flow over the cake but not to runny that it wont stick in place.

Once the cakes are fully cooked pop them on a cooling rack + let cool for a moment then with a fork pierce the cakes all over. Then slowly pour over the syrup over the two cakes. its important to do this when your cakes are still warm as the cakes will suck in all the juices + make them so moist.

Once the cakes have cooled its time to "drizzle the drizzle" i like to start in the middle so it naturally pushes itself over to the edge. If its been a tad lazy you can encourage it by lifting the tray up slightly at one side + in a flash it will ooze over the sides YUM....

You are just going to love the tanginess from the buttermilk with the zingyness + freshness from the infused citrus. As an experiment i have even sampled this with white wine instead of tea + i must say it is superb lol....

ENJOY XXX