Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Grease and line the base of a 20cm (8 inch) deep round cake tin with greaseproof paper.Put the cake mix, soft butter (or dairy free alternative), eggs, lemon zest and poppy seeds into a bowl. Beat together with an electric whisk for 15 secs. Stop, scrape down the bowl and mix for a further 10 secs.

2. Spread the mixture into the tin and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 mins until lightly golden brown and springy to the touch. While it bakes, make the lemon syrup.

3. To make the lemon syrup, stir the lemon juice and sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside while the cake bakes, by which time the sugar should have dissolved.

4. Once baked, leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins before pricking the top of the cake all over with a skewer. Gradually spoon the lemon syrup evenly over the surface of the cake. Leave to cool completely before running a knife around the edge of the cake and removing from the tin.