Lemon drizzle is Britain's favourite cake flavour, and here's how to make your own

Just like the Royal Family, a cup of tea, and crumpets, there's no denying that a good cake is an indelible slice of British culture. From afternoon tea to The Great British Bake Off, our obsessions suggest that we're a nation of cake lovers.

But according to a new study of 2,000 Britons, there is one cake that beats the rest. 

The survey results released by  Protein World reveal that lemon drizzle cake is Britain's favourite, with 40 per cent of respondents mentioning it as one of their most-loved bakes. 

It was closely followed by other classics such as chocolate fudge cake (38 per cent), carrot cake (37 per cent), chocolate brownie (36 per cent), and the old staple, Victoria sponge (35 per cent). 

This isn't the first time lemon cakes have emerged as favourite of sweet-toothed British consumers. Last year, another survey by bakery and cake decorating company Cake Angels found that zesty lemon was the country's favourite cake flavour. 

However the recent research from Protein World also threw up some other interesting discoveries. The average Britain apparently bakes four times a month and eats three slices of a cake a week. That habit doesn't seem to be a concern for the majority of people, however, with only 38 per cent of respondents saying they felt guilty about eating the cake afterwards. 

Charmingly, 77 per cent of people agreed with the statement “there's not much that can't be sorted with a cup of tea and slice of cake.” The British tradition of a stiff upper lip is still going strong, it seems. 

Rather more salacious was the revelation that 55 per cent of Britons would choose a slice of cake over sex. Women were more likely to turn down a tumble in the bedroom, with 77 per cent saying they'd rather have the cake. 

So, whether you're looking for a polite way to turn down an unrequited lover or simply fancy sorting out a few problems, learning how to make a lemon drizzle cake is a must. Here are three different varieties for bakers of all different skill levels. 

Mary Berry’s banana with lemon drizzle cake recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 175g butter, softened, plus more for the tin

• 175g caster sugar

• 3 eggs

• 300g self-raising flour

• 2 level tsp baking powder

• 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

• Grated zest of ½ lemon

• 2 tbsp milk

For the topping

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 100g granulated sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 5. Line the base of a 20cm deep round cake tin and butter the sides.

2. Measure the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix together until smooth using a hand-mixer, or beat by hand. Pour into the lined tin and level the top.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, until light golden brown. Test with a skewer to see if the cake is cooked through; if the skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Leave to cool down a little, then remove from the tin.

4. Make the topping by mixing together the ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the warm cake and spread out to the edges. Leave to become completely cold before slicing.

5. The cake can be made and iced up to 48 hours ahead and kept in a dry sealed container. It also freezes well, iced or un-iced.

From 'One Step Ahead’  by Mary Berry (Quadrille, £20)

Classic lemon drizzle recipe from Telegraph reader, Pam Daniels

INGREDIENTS

• 125g soft margarine/butter

• 175g caster sugar

• 175g self raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 large free-range eggs

• 1 large or 2 small lemons- grated rind of

• 65ml milk

For the lemon syrup

• 3 tbsp granulated sugar

• Juice of lemons used for rind

METHOD

1. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin

2. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.

3. Place all cake ingredients into a food processor and blend until really smooth and quite runny, or mix by hand. Pour cake mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the lemon syrup. Dissolve the granulated sugar in the lemon juice.

5. When the cooking time is up, test that the cake is done by pushing a metal skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, it’s done!

6. While the cake is still in the tin, place it onto a cooling rack.

7. Pierce the cake all over with the skewer and spoon the lemon syrup all over the cake until you have used all the syrup - it will go everywhere but do not worry, as it will set when it is cold.

8. Leave the cake in the tin until it is quite cold before turning out.

Rose Prince's dairy-free lemon drizzle cake

INGREDIENTS

• 115g goat’s butter, softened

• 225g caster sugar

• 4 egg yolks, beaten

• 4 egg whites

• 175g self-raising flour, sifted

• 55g plain flour

• ½ level tsp baking powder

• Grated zest and juice of 2 (unwaxed or scrubbed) lemons

For the filling

• 55g fresh goat’s curd cheese mixed with 30g caster sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

For the glaze:

• 150g caster sugar, soaked in a pan with the juice of 1 lemon (2 tbsp), then boiled for 2 minutes

• Extra caster sugar to finish

METHOD

1. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins, then line with baking paper.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 (170C if using a fan oven).

3. Cream the butter and sugar, whisking until very white and fluffy.

4. Whisk in the egg yolks, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Sift in the flours with the baking powder, then fold into the cake batter with the lemon zest and juice, using a metal spoon.

6. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until you have stiff white foam; stir one tablespoon into the mixture then fold in the rest, so as not to break down the foam too much.

7. Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins.

8. Put the cakes in the oven — they will collapse into slightly lumpy batter before rising again. Bake for about 30 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven, turn out onto a rack. Allow to completely cool before filling and glazing.

9. Fill the cakes with the goat's curd mix and grated over the zest of the lemon.

10. Drizzle the cooled glaze over the top cake then scatter with extra caster sugar to finish.