Cakes and Biscuits

As an alternative to the simnel cake, which is traditionally made for Mothering Sunday, I devised a recipe for a lemon tea loaf, a moist and delicious treat for afternoon tea. It is an easy recipe to adapt to other flavours. For example, take out a quarter of the cake batter, omit the lemon and add coffee essence and a coffee liqueur such as Toussaint, then swirl it lightly back into the batter as you spoon it into the loaf tin; this will give you a marbled coffee cake. A chocolate one can be made in the same way. Alternatively, add a handful or two of chopped crystallized orange peel and some grated zest, or some ground ginger and chopped crystallized ginger.