Reduced Sugar Lemon & Strawberry Cake

I haven't done much in the way of baking recently, mainly because I'm trying to cut out sugar as much as possible (which is a bit ironic really when I have a handmade marshmallow business), but when you have a handful of strawberries not looking their best, there's really only one thing to do with them, and that's throw them in a cake! 

I've reduced the sugar in this by over a third, but with the sweetness of the strawberries, and a sprinkling of sugar on the top, you really wouldn't notice.

Reduced Sugar Lemon & Strawberry Cake

175g butter or margarine (I use Stork for baking)

100g caster sugar

zest of one large lemon

tsp vanilla extract

3 medium eggs

175g self raising flour

85g ripe strawberries, sliced

• Set aside 1 tsp of caster sugar
• Beat the butter, remaining sugar and lemon zest together until pale & creamy
• Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
• Fold in the flour, until well combined
• Pour batter into a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin
• Scatter the sliced strawberries on the top of the batter and sprinkle on the reserved caster sugar
• Bake in a preheated 170C oven for approx 45-50 minutes, until golden brown on top and springy to the touch
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely

Serve warm or cold, on it's own or with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Pictured are gorgeous recycled cotton napkins and bamboo cutting board, received from A Slice of Green, the home of ethical products to help you live more sustainably.

Napkins £5.00 for a set of two

Bambu cutting board with coloured edging £16.00