Let Her Eat Cake: Pink Lemonade Cake

Is there anything in this world more refreshing than pink lemonade? Picture it: a hot day, and a long cool glass of fruity, zesty wonder, fragrant with raspberries and sharp with lemon. As with everything delicious in this world, if it's not already a cake, we'll darn well MAKE it into a cake. Delicate pink raspberry sponge and a sharp, sweet topping that's perfect for a long, lazy weekend. Try and use traditional, cloudy lemonade, fresh if you can get it. It's so much more summery.

Pink Lemonade Cake
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes

You will need:
For the cake:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 free range eggs
• 1/2 tsp pink food colouring
• 250g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp traditional (fresh) lemonade
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 100g raspberries

For the syrup and topping:

• 125ml traditional lemonade
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 150g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• A few drops pink food colouring
• Raspberries, to decorate
• Lemon zest, to decorate

Make it!
The cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C /350F / Gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, along with a tablespoon of the flour and beat well. Repeat with rest of the eggs, beating well in between. 
4. Add the pink food colouring in drops, stirring in and adding more until it has reached the desired colour.
5. Add the rest of the flour in thirds, folding in lightly in between until it is just incorporated and no streaks are showing.
6. Gently stir in the lemonade, lemon zest and raspberries.
7. Dollop into the tin, smooth over the top and bake for around 45 minutes, until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. 
8. Place on a wire rack to cool.

The syrup and topping:

1. Place the lemonade and caster sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer and reduce over a medium heat until the consistency thickens slightly. 
3. When the cake has cooled slightly, prick holes in it with a skewer and spoon over half the syrup so that it soaks in. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar and remaining lemonade syrup. Scoop out half of it into another bowl and add the food colouring. 
5. Place both colours into a piping bag and pipe onto the cake, or spread alternately using a pallet knife. 
6. Decorate with the remaining raspberries and a little lemon zest.