Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/160CFan.

Step 2

Line a 23x15cm (9"x5") loaf tin with baking paper or use a paper tin liner (alternatively grease the tin).

Step 3

Place the butter and caster sugar into a large bowl and beat together using a hand blender, to form a creamy consistency where the sugar has dissolved completely into the butter. Now add the grated lemon zest and whisk again to incorporate.

Step 4

Add the eggs, vanilla extract and poppy seeds to the bowl and beat again to incorporate.

Step 5

Sift over the flour and baking powder and gently fold through until just incorporated. Do not be tempted to beat or overwork the mixture.

Step 6

Pour the cake batter into the earlier prepared loaf tin and place the tin in the hot oven to bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when a cocktail stick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 7

Remove the tin from the oven and set onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. After which time, remove the loaf from the tin and set back onto the wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8

Once the cake has cooled you can add the lemon drizzle.

Step 9

Place the lemon juice, caster sugar and water into a small saucepan and heat up gently. Boil the liquid a little to dissolve the sugar and thicken the syrup a little - no more than 2 minutes.

Step 10

Using a cocktail stick, make small holes all over the top of the cake. Push the cocktail stick 3/4 of the way down the cake, but not all the way through, otherwise the syrup will pool at the bottom, resulting in a soggy cake.

Step 11

Now brush the sugar syrup over the top of the cake. The sugar syrup will work it's way down into each of the small holes in the top of the cake, adding extra lemon flavour into the centre of the cake.

Step 12

The cake is now ready to slice and serve.