Earl Grey Lemon Tea Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees or 170 degrees if using a fan oven. Grease and line a 1½lb loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving a little parchment hanging over the sides.

2. Put the milk in a small saucepan, over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from the heat and add the tea bags or tea leaves, if using. Leave to infuse for 8-10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until very soft, pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

4. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat well to combine.

5. Sift in the flour and salt and mix together until just combined – there should be no visible grains of flour.

6. Remove the tea bags or tea leaves from the milk and discard. Slowly pour the milk into the cake mix, mixing gently to combine.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until risen and golden, or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

9. To make the icing, zest the lemon in long strokes and set the zest aside for garnish.

10. In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thin, drizzly icing.

11. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake and garnish with the lemon zest and blue cornflowers, if using.