Michael’s Marvellous Recipe

September 4, 2026 | Foodie bites | 4 minute read

This month Michael treats us to a classic lemon drizzle recipe. Delicate and moreish – this is a recipe that’s bound to be a member of the Clean Plate Club. Give it a try at home.

Lemon Drizzle Sponge with Amaretto Cherry Ice Cream

A light, zesty sponge with a generous lemon drizzle, served warm with cool, creamy amaretto cherry ice cream and delicate shards of meringue.

Makes 10 mini cakes or 1 loaf. 

Ingredients

For the lemon drizzle sponge

• 225g butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon, reserving the juice
• 225g self-raising flour

For the lemon drizzle

• Juice of 3 lemons, including the juice reserved above
• 165g caster sugar

For the meringue pencils

• 27.5g egg whites
• 27.5g caster sugar
• 27.5g icing sugar

Method

Make the sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease your muffin moulds or line them with baking paper.
2. Cream the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
4. Sift in the self-raising flour and gently fold through, followed by the lemon zest.
5. Divide the mixture between the 10 prepared muffin moulds or one loaf time and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. While the sponges are still warm, mix the lemon juice and caster sugar together. Slowly spoon the drizzle over the sponges, allowing it to soak into the sponge as they cool.

Make the meringue pencils

1. Reduce the oven to 70°C. The meringues are best cooked low and slow, allowing them to dry gently without taking on any colour.
2. Whip the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle in the caster sugar and continue whisking until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
3. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold until fully combined and glossy.
4. Fit a piping bag with a 5mm nozzle and pipe straight lines onto a silicone mat or sheet of baking paper. For neat, uniform batons, use a ruler as a guide.
5. For a more cylindrical shape, leave a small gap between the piping nozzle and the mat as you pipe. This allows the meringue to fall naturally and helps prevent flat feet.
6. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until completely dry.
7. Allow the meringues to cool fully before carefully snapping them into delicate shards.

To serve

Serve the lemon drizzle sponges slightly warm, with a generous scoop of amaretto cherry ice cream. Spoon over a little of the sponge crumb and finish with shards of meringue for a delicate crunch.

A bright, comforting dessert that brings together sharp lemon, sweet cherry and creamy amaretto in one lovely plate.