Lemon and Cardamom Drizzle Cake

• 225g salted butter, softened
• 125g light soft brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• Grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 11/2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 50g granulated sugar
• Icing sugar, for icing
• Freeze-dried raspberries and dried rose petals, optional

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 170C/Gas 4. Lightly grease and baking paper baseline a 2lb/900g loaf tin.

Using an electric whisk beat together the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar until pale. Beat in the cardamom powder and lemon rind. Beat in the eggs gradually adding 1 tbsp of the flour if it starts to curdle. Sift over the remaining flour and baking powder and fold in with the juice of 1 lemon and poppy seeds. Spoon into the prepared tin, level surface and bake for 40 minutes, until risen and golden or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Using a small metal or wooden skewer piece the cake about 20-30 times. Mix together the remaining lemon juice and sugar. Spoon over the cake evenly and allow to absorb in. Allow cooling completely in the tin.

Unmould cake and place on a serving plate. Mix together enough icing sugar and water to make a thick consistency and either spoon or using a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle, pipe zigzags over the cake. Scatter over raspberries and rose petals, if using and leave to set.