I love a good loaf cake. If highly decorated cupcakes were the vamp of a cake based fictional drama loaf cakes would be the ultimate ugly duckling who turns into a swan. This cake uses spelt flour which is lower in gluten and higher in protein than normal flour and the only sugar comes from dark honey. The use of wholemeal spelt flour was entirely optional, I was in a rush at closing time in my local supermarket, so you can use white flour if you’d prefer. I personally feel though that the wholemeal flour adds a depth to this cake and this is the perfect cake for somebody who isn’t into overly sweet food.

While this cake is possibly healthier than most, being lower in refined sugar, I wouldn’t argue that it quite counts as healthy food. If you’re really watching your sugar intake you could potentially switch the lemon curd for sugar free jam or sugar free lemon curd but sweeteners themselves aren’t always desperately healthy and, in my opinion, life’s too short for sugar free preserves.

To make a honey and lemon loaf you will need:

125g good quality butter

175g spelt flour (I used wholemeal)

2 large free range eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of salt

175g honey (I like dark woodland honey)

The zest of 1 lemon and the juice of 1/2 a lemon

4 tablespoons milk (I used almond milk)

To glaze

5 heaped tablespoons lemon curd

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line your loaf tin, either with a specific liner or with baking paper. Cream your butter until pale and fluffy. You can do with step by hand but I used my brand new food processor (thanks parents!)

Sift in 3 tablespoons of flour and mix. Add in the eggs and mix one at a time. Mix until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Heat your honey for 20 seconds in the microwave to make it runny. Add this plus the remaining flour (sifted in), baking powder and lemon zest. Add in the milk and mix. Then add in your lemon juice and mix again.

Pour this into your lined loaf tin and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the cake is light and springy.

While the loaf is still warm heat your lemon curd in a small saucepan until runny and then prick your cake with a knife and pour over the lemon curd.

Allow to cool before serving. The lemon curd glaze is wonderfully sticky. I cannot recommend this cake enough.

Store in an airtight tin and enjoy with a hot drink on a cold day. While eating this cake my housemate S and I discussed how underrated lemon based cakes are so I hope you’ll try this one.