15. Elderflower and Gooseberry-ish Drizzle Cake

6oz butter, softened
6oz sugar
3 eggs, beaten
6oz self raising flour
2-4 tbsp elderflower cordial, depending how moist you like the cake!

3 tbsp elderflower and gooseberry jam (or there abouts)

5 tbsp elderflower cordial
5oz icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 20cm loaf tin. Beat the sugar and butter together until light anf fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. With a metal spoon, fold in the flour until fully combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the tin and prick all over before leaving to cool on a wire rack.

After about 10-15 minutes, pour the 2-4 tbsp of elderflower cordial evenly over the top of the cake, making sure it's soaking in and not just dribbling off the sides!

Place the 3 tbsp of elderflower and gooseberry jam (or similar) in a saucepan and gently heat until runny. At this point, i strained mine to remove any bits but that was just personal choice! Using a pastry brush, paint the jam over all of the sides of the cake and leave for 10 minutes.

In another pan, heat the 5 tbsp of elderflower cordial and 5oz icing sugar together to make a syrup. Again, paint this all over the cake and place in the still warm oven for a few minutes to help 'set' it. This step can be repeated as much or as little as you like to give varying amounts of sugary-drizzley-ness.

This recipe was somewhat experimental with inspiration and ideas coming from Unbought Delicacies and Raymond Blanc. Overall, i'm pretty please with the result and it's quite a nice spring/summer cake with the elderflower flavour. Definitely one to do again!