Nothing says a taste of spring like a classic lemon drizzle cake, full of bright tanginess and sweetness. Chef and recipe book author Jon Watts recently shared his version of the traditional British bake on TikTok, where he adds a surprise ingredient to achieve the perfect sponge.
The Secret Ingredient for a Perfect Sponge
To achieve the perfect fluffy and pillow-like texture in a lemon drizzle cake, Jon uses an added ingredient that everyone has in their kitchen cupboards. Along with the classic ingredients, Jon likes to add olive oil to the batter.
On the inclusion of olive oil to the cake batter, Jon wrote on his website: "This is where this recipe steps slightly away from the traditional version. Adding olive oil alongside the butter does a couple of things."
"It increases moisture, which means the cake stays soft for longer. It also gives a slightly richer mouthfeel without making the cake heavy."
"Using a good quality olive oil is important. You don’t want anything too strong or bitter, just something smooth that complements the lemon."
"It’s a small addition, but once you try it, it’s hard to go back."
How to Achieve the Perfect Texture
To achieve the perfect spongy texture, it’s all about making sure that the batter is aerated properly. Beating the butter, olive oil and sugar together until pale and creamy will help the mix stay smooth while incorporating air in. Incorporating air into the mixture will help the cake have a lighter texture.
When adding in the flour, make sure you fold it in gently so you don’t knock the air out. Jon’s video has already been viewed over 120,000 times, receiving 1,879 likes and 24 comments, at the time of writing.
Mi Julie wrote: "I've put on 7 pound just watching this." Neha commented, "So soft," while Rita agreed, "Hi mate, this is absolutely fantastic."
So if you’re looking to elevate your next lemon drizzle cake with Jon’s olive oil tip, here’s how.
Ultimate Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 50ml olive oil (use a good one)
- 225g caster sugar
- Four eggs
- 225g self-raising flour
- Zest of two lemons
- Juice of one lemon
For the drizzle
- Two lemons, zest and juice
- 100g caster sugar
Method
- Heat the oven to 160°C (fan). Line a 2 lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
- Beat the butter, olive oil and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and mix well until smooth.
- Sift in the flour, add the lemon zest and juice, then fold together until combined. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level it off, then bake for one hour until a skewer comes out clean.
- Mix the lemon juice, zest and caster sugar for the drizzle. As soon as the cake comes out, prick it all over with a fork, then pour over the drizzle and let it soak in.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift it out and leave to cool completely on a rack before slicing.
