Chocolate and lemon drizzle loaf

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Pop a greaseproof loaf paper into a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin, so it’s easy to lift out while still warm.

To make the loaf, cream together the softened unsalted butter and caster sugar with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

Put four eggs in a separate glass grease-free bowl and whisk until foaming with lots of air. Add gradually to the creamed butter and sugar, whisking as you go until combined. Now, add the vanilla and lemon flavouring and whisk again.

Sift in the self-raising flour, then add the finely grated zest of one lemon and fold in slowly (so you don’t get a flour cloud). Finally, add the lemon juice, and whisk until fully combined and batter-like.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and level the top with a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Ovens vary, so in the last few minutes, keep checking and ensure the cake is cooked in the middle. Don’t open the oven door until 45 minutes have passed, however, so the cake doesn’t sink!

While the cake is still warm, mix together the juice of three lemons and the caster sugar to make the drizzle.

While still in the tin, prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, then pour over the drizzle – the juice will sink into the holes and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping in places as the cake cools.

Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove (lift) carefully with the greaseproof and carefully put onto a plate.

Melt the chocolate in a microwaveable glass bowl in the microwave, be careful not to burn. Drizzle all over the cake with a spoon. Leave to cool before serving.