MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Ruby Tandoh's Lemon, Buttermilk, And Black Pepper Cake Categories: Cakes Yield: 8 Servings 150 g Unsalted butter; softened 100 g Caster sugar 50 g Light brown soft sugar 2 Lemons; zest of 2 ts Coarsely ground black pepper 2 lg Eggs 150 g Plain flour 1 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Bicarbonate of soda 1 pn Salt; generous 50 ml Buttermilk or soured cream MMMMM-------------------------FINISHING------------------------------ 2 Lemons; juice of 50 g Caster sugar 150 g Lemon curd; up to 200 g Black pepper; coarsely -ground 1 ts Lemon zest; up to 2 ts It might not have the national treasure status of the Victoria sponge or engender the same gleeful lust as a chocolate fudge gateau, but a great lemon drizzle cake is, I think, as close as Great British teatimes come to culinary perfection. It's a finely tuned thing: the lemon should be bold enough to make you pause between forkfuls, without sharpening to an eye-watering sourness. My version isn't a traditional lemon drizzle, but it's my favourite. Buttermilk dulls the hit of lemon, while leaving the flavour fresh and bright; black pepper lends a gentle heat which lingers on the tongue after first the citrus, then the sweetness, have come and gone. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20 cm spring-form or loose-bottomed tin. Cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy, then stir in the lemon zest, pepper and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Add half of this to the butter and sugar, along with the buttermilk. Mix, then add the rest of the flour. Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, until well-risen, golden brown and springy. A small knife inserted into the centre of the cake should emerge with no more than a crumb or two sticking to it. Demould the cake and cool on a wire rack. Cut it in half horizontally to give two thinner cake layers. Prepare the syrup by heating the lemon juice and sugar in a small pan and simmering for a minute or two. Pour over the cake layers while the syrup is still hot. To assemble, spread one half with the lemon curd and sandwich with the second half. You could pour on some zesty water icing to finish it off if you like, but I prefer to keep it simple with just an extra grind of pepper and a sprinkling of finely grated zest. Recipe by Ruby Tandoh Recipe FROM: MMMMM