Watch Donal's Family Food in Minutes on RTÉ One, Wednesdays at 8:30pm.

Ingredients

Makes: 12  
Cook time: 50 minutes 

  • 225g caster sugar
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4 large free-range eggs
  • 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tbsp of milk
  • Zest of 3 lemons

For the lemon drizzle icing:

  • 200g icing sugar
  • Finely grated zest and juice of a lemon

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/fan 140c. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper. 
  2. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well with the back of a spoon.
  3. Add the eggs, butter, milk and zest and beat with a hand mixer until well combined for about two minutes.
  4. Pour the mixture into the lined tin, place in the oven on the middle rack and cook for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top and risen.
  5. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before icing.
  6. Whisk together the icing sugar and lemon zest with enough of the juice to make a thick drizzle and spread over the top of the cooled lemon cake. Allow to set then slice into rectangular pieces.