Lime Drizzle Loaf Cake

A little twist on the good old lemon drizzle cake. I prefer mine with lime; it has a sharper acidic kick and cuts through the sugar in the cake nicely.

I was going to make a poppyseed version but then forgot to add them in this time. However, I have added them into this same cake recipe with much success in the past, the difference being a slight nutttiness and a pretty blue-sprinkled effect dotting the loaf.

 

This cake is very moist. It is delicious served warm from the oven and decorated with limes. It can easily be converted from tea-time to birthday cake. In fact, what you are looking at here, was my birthday cake!

Cake ingredients

150g plain flour

150g butter
100g caster sugar
1 heaped tsp baking powder
3 medium eggs
1 lime zest & some juice
1 heaped tsp Blue Poppy seeds (optional)

For the drizzle
50g icing sugar
tsp egg white
1 Lime juice

Method

Preheat oven to 180°. Line and grease a loaf pan.

Bring butter to room temperature and cream with the sugar. Use an electric whisk for quicker results. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and add yolks one by one, beating each one into the batter. Next sift the flour with the baking powder and add to the batter. If too thick, loosen with some lime juice. Stir in the zest and poppy seeds (if using). Beat egg whites until stiff and add a spoon to the batter. Stir to loosen batter, then add the rest of the egg white spoon by spoon, folding it in gradually. Reserve a tsp for the drizzle.

To make the drizzle, mix the lime juice with the icing sugar. Add more icing sugar for a thicker consistency. Fold in the egg white.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Shake from side to side for an even distribution. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool down in the pan for 5 minutes before making several holes along the loaf cake with the same toothpick. Then pour over the lime icing, letting it run down the sides.

Sift some icing sugar over the cake and top with thin slices of limes to decorate.

Serve with tea or coffee.