It’s hard to resist the tangy and refreshing taste of lemon. Whether it’s a moist and delectable lemon drizzle birthday cake, a fluffy and indulgent lemon meringue pie, or a thirst-quenching glass of homemade lemonade, there’s something irresistible about this citrus fruit. And if you’re looking for a twist on traditional treats, you can try lemon curd on a warm, buttery scone, a slice of lemon in your gin and tonic for a zesty kick, or a squirt of lemon juice on a pancake to elevate its flavour profile.
At The Gift of Cake, we’re deeply enamored with this incredible fruit. Making our lemon drizzle birthday cake a true delight for those who adore the flavour of lemon.
The origin of lemons
Enjoyment of lemons goes back a long way. They were first cultivated in Europe around Genoa in the middle of the 15th century. Generally the lemon tree likes a minimum temperature of 7°C so the countries around the Mediterranean were ideal. Spain is now a massive supplier to Europe. The lemon was introduced to the New World and is a major crop in Florida and California. Further south, the lemon is also big business for Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
Are you craving lemons?
Lemon juice is an important culinary flavouring, but for a real hit of lemon flavour nothing beats lemon zest.
What is lemon zest, exactly?
The outermost part of the lemon rind is the flavedo – the layer that gives the yellow color. Beneath it is the bitter and not-so-lemony white pith called albedo. The zest is often cut into strips or minced into crumbs, and can be easily made at home by grating an unwaxed lemon. With an abundance of natural aromatic oils, the zest contains a concentrated and perfumed lemon flavor.
We make our ultimate lemon drizzle birthday cakes with a light, lemon-flavored sponge and fill them with lemon buttercream. We then drizzle the cake with lemon sugar icing, sprinkle it with lemon zest and then douse the whole thing in lemon juice. Our bakery uses real lemon to make all of this. In addition, we don’t use any artificial flavours or colours.
See quick YouTube clip of zesting here.
Do you want to send a Lemon Drizzle birthday cake?
If you’re looking to buy a lemon drizzle birthday cake, pop over to our shop and take a look at what’s on offer. All our cakes are beautifully gift wrapped and can be delivered in their own exclusive cake tin.
We also make a delicious Lemon and Almond Cake that’s made with gluten free ingredients.
Our Lemon Drizzle cakes make the perfect addition to a spring picnic.
