Mary Berry's lemon drizzle tray bake cake is sure to become a hit thanks to its quick and easy preparation, as well as its deliciousness.

Using just a handful of ingredients, you can throw together this fabulously citrusy traybake in under 30 minutes, with a further 30 minutes to an hour of cooking time.

Sharing this recipe, the BBC pointed out: “Mary Berry's lemon drizzle tray bake cake has been a hit since the 1960s, and this is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street.”

Ideal for entertaining guests at teatime, this recipe only requires a 30x23cm/12x9in tray bake tin to make 16 squares.

If not eaten right away, this cake can also be stored in an airtight container for three to four days and frozen for up to a month.

Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle tray bake recipe

Ingredients

225g butter or baking spread at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

225g caster sugar

275g self-raising flour

Two level tsp baking powder

Four free-range eggs

Four tbsp milk

Two unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest only

One heaped tbsp very finely chopped lemon verbena (optional)

For the glaze

175g granulated sugar

Two lemons, juice only

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas mark 4. Grease a baking tin with butter and line the base with parchment paper.

Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat for about two minutes or until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top evenly.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the cake has slightly pulled away from the edges of the tin and springs back when lightly pressed in the centre.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze by mixing the sugar with the lemon juice, stirring until it reaches a runny consistency.

Once the cake has cooled for five minutes in the tin, lift it out using the parchment paper and set it on a wire rack placed over a tray.

Brush the glaze generously over the warm cake and allow it to set. Afterwards, remove the parchment paper and slice the cake to serve.