The Best Moist Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe (Just 5 Ingredients!)

Craving something sweet and citrusy? Then you need this moist lemon drizzle cake recipe in your life! Inspired by Mary Berry’s classic, this is my tried-and-tested version that I’ve been making for years – it’s tangy, golden, and perfectly fluffy. This classic British lemon drizzle cake is made in a loaf tin with just 5 ingredients and loads of flavour. It’s honestly one of the most satisfying bakes I know next to my Delicious Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Perfectly moist every time: This is genuinely the moistest lemon drizzle cake I’ve ever made! The trick is poking holes while it’s warm and letting that drizzle soak right in. I won’t make it any other way now.
• Few ingredients: You’ll only need five ingredients for this moist lemon cake! If you don’t already have the ingredients in your kitchen, they’re easily found at the local grocery store. For another easy dessert, make sure to try my Easy Nutella Puff Pastry.
• Easy to slice & share: I love making this for gatherings because you can slice it thin and it goes such a long way. You don’t even need to wait for it to cool before drizzling, which is my favourite part. This Easter Rocky Road is another lovely option.

If you need meal inspiration, this moist lemon drizzle cake pairs well with pasta and gnocchi dishes. For example, it’s great with this Meatball Marinara with Spiralized Courgette and Wholewheat spaghetti recipe, Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta or this Crispy Roasted Gnocchi with Chorizo and Vegetables.

Ingredients

• Lemon juice and lemon zest: This citrus fruit helps keep the cake from feeling too heavy. Lemon juice and zest help bring brightness to this lemon drizzle cake recipe! You can also use oranges if you prefer a sweeter flavour.
• Butter: Butter or margarine will work well for this lemon drizzle cake. You can also use vegan butter if you have any dairy sensitivities or allergens. You could use it to make these Chocolate Protein Muffins too for a healthy option!
• Caster sugar: I prefer using caster sugar over granulated sugar for this lemon cake recipe. It incorporates more easily, so you won’t have a grainy batter or cake. The same is true for these Simple & Easy Brownies.
• Self-rising flour: Using self-rising flour means your cake will be thick and fluffy. You can use standard flour instead, but you’ll need to add baking powder to help the cake rise.

Love lemon recipes? How about you try this Lemon and Thyme Chicken Tray Bake, Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade with Lemon and Shallot, and The Easiest Oven Baked Fish Recipe (Perfectly Juicy)?

Variations/ Adaptations

• Lemon & lime: Swap half the lemon juice for fresh lime juice in both the batter and the drizzle. It gives the cake a slightly sharper, more tropical citrus kick.
• Add gin: Replace half the lemon juice in the drizzle with gin for something a bit more elegant. I love making this version for dinner parties. You can use the gin to make Spicy Rigatoni Vodka as well which is just so unbelievably good!!
• Add poppy seeds: Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds straight into the batter before you pour it into the tin. They add a lovely subtle crunch and make the slices look really pretty.

How to make lemon drizzle cake

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, then starting by greasing and lining a 900g loaf tin (21cm x 8cm ) with a strip of baking paper (Image 1).
2. Peel the zest of half a lemon using a potato peeler, and cut into matchstick strips. Set aside for decoration (Image 2).

3. Finely grate the rest of the zest (Image 3).

4. Make sure the margarine or butter is really soft but not melted  (if not cut into cubes and leave for 5 minutes to soften or microwave for 20 seconds). In a mixing bowl add 225g of the caster sugar and the eggs (Image 4).

5. Then add the grated lemon zest and the flour (Image 5).

6. Beat the mixture together with a wooden spoon until smooth (Image 6).

7. Pour the mix into the lined cake tin and spread out evenly in the baking tin (Image 7).

8. Bake for 55 minutes until golden brown and risen and the point of a knife , inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean (Image 8).

9. Meanwhile place the remaining 75g caster sugar with the juice squeezed from the lemons into a small pan. Place over a medium low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. texture. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork then pour over the drizzle and leave to cool in the tin (Image 9).

10. Serve thinly sliced. The cake will keep for up to 5 days in a cake tin or can be frozen, either whole or cut into slices (Image 10).

Try some other savoury recipes to go with the lemon drizzle cake: Chicken Goujons (Healthy and Homemade), Healthy Crustless Pizza Bowl and Dorito Taco Salad.

Serving Suggestions

This lemon drizzle cake is lovely on its own with a cup of tea – honestly the most British way to enjoy it and my personal favourite. But if you want to dress it up a little, a dollop of clotted cream or thick Greek yoghurt on the side goes beautifully with the tangy drizzle. It also works well as a dessert after a lighter meal. I’ve served it with a spoonful of lemon curd on top before for a dinner party and it went down an absolute treat.

Try it after:

• Cold Noodle Salad with Chicken (High-Protein Sesame Noodles)
• Quick & Easy Boom Boom Shrimp (No Deep Frying!)
• Mexican Chicken Salad with Roasted Corn & Bacon
• Creamy Shrimp Salad Sandwich (Better than a Lobster Roll!)
• Delicious Chicken Bolognese (Meal-Prep Ready)
• Creamy Leftover Ham Pasta (in 15 minutes!)

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

Refrigerator: I’d actually avoid the fridge for this one as it dries the sponge out and makes it go dense. Room temperature in an airtight tin or wrapped in cling film is the way to go. It keeps well for up to 5 days in a cake tin.

Freezer: This lemon drizzle cake freezes really well! Wrap individual slices in cling film and pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just leave a slice out on the counter for an hour or so and it’s good as new.

Reheat: No reheating needed, just defrost at room temperature. Microwaving it can make the texture a little rubbery, so I’d skip that.

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