Description
At its core, a lemon drizzle cake is a simple butter cake infused with the bright, citrusy flavor of lemon. What sets it apart from a standard lemon cake is the “drizzle” – a syrup made from sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice that is poured over the cake the moment it comes out of the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- 200 g (1 cup minus 2 tsp) caster or fine granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large unwaxed lemons (about 2–2.5 Tbsp very finely grated)
- 115 g (1 stick / ½ cup) unsalted butter, softened (room temp)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil (sunflower, light olive, or canola) – boosts moistness
- 3 large eggs (150–165 g out of shell), room temp
- 200 g (1⅔ cups spooned & leveled) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) whole milk OR 60 ml milk + 60 ml plain yogurt (richer crumb) – room temp
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional but rounds flavor)
Lemon Soaking Syrup (Drizzle)
- 70 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- 60 ml (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (1–2 lemons)
Optional Crackly Icing Glaze
- 100 g (¾ cup) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
- 15–25 ml (1–1½ Tbsp) fresh lemon juice (add gradually to thick ribbon consistency)
Optional Add-Ins (choose one; keep subtle)
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds (fold in at end)
- 1 tsp lemon extract (for extra punch—reduce vanilla)
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom for a floral note
Equipment
- 9×5 in loaf pan
- Microplane zester
- Digital scale (recommended)
- Hand or stand mixer (paddle) or sturdy whisk
- Skewer / toothpick for testing & piercing
Instructions
- Prep Pan & Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C (160°C fan).
- Grease loaf pan lightly; line with a parchment sling for easy lift.
- Infuse Sugar with Zest
- In a bowl, rub lemon zest into the sugar with fingertips until moist and aromatic (releases oils for stronger flavor).
- Cream Fats
- Add softened butter to zest-sugar; beat (medium) 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Stream in oil; beat 30–45 seconds to emulsify.
- Add Eggs
- Add eggs one at a time, beating and scraping bowl; mixture may look slightly curdled—will smooth with flour.
- Dry Ingredients
- In separate bowl: whisk flour, baking powder, salt.
- (Optional: Sift for extra fine crumb.)
- Combine Alternately
- Add half dry mix; mix on low just until traces disappear.
- Add milk (or milk+yogurt) + vanilla; mix low.
- Add remaining dry mix; mix just until no dry pockets. Do not overbeat.
- Batter should be thick yet flowable. Fold in any add-ins now.
- Bake
- Transfer batter; level top (don’t over-smooth).
- Optional: Run a thin knife dipped in melted butter down the center to encourage an even dome.
- Bake middle rack 45–55 minutes (start checking at 42). Internal temp target: about 98–99°C (208–210°F) center. Skewer: a few moist crumbs, no wet batter.
- Prepare Syrup
- While cake bakes, gently stir sugar + lemon juice until sugar mostly dissolves (no need to heat; undissolved grains help subtle crust).
- Soak (The Drizzle)
- Immediately after removing cake, poke many slender holes (skewer) over top.
- Spoon syrup slowly over surface in passes, allowing absorption. Use all syrup.
- Cool in pan 15–20 minutes, then lift out to rack to finish cooling fully.
- Optional Glaze
- Once completely cool & syrup set (surface slightly tacky, not wet), whisk icing sugar with just enough lemon juice to thick drizzle.
- Pour in zigzags; let set 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
For an extra zesty touch, sprinkle a little lemon zest over the glaze before it sets. This loaf also pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee and makes a delightful treat for afternoon gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: High
Keywords: Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake