The BEST Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
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Craving something sweet and summery? Then you’ll want to make this mouthwatering lemon drizzle cake! This delicious recipe includes a tasty lemon cake covered with a simple yet flavourful lemon drizzle made from sugar and lemon juice.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
This lemon drizzle cake is indulgent yet not overly sweet or rich, making it an option you’ll want to keep reaching for.
You’ll only need five ingredients for this tasty lemon drizzle cake! If you don’t already have the ingredients in your kitchen, they’re easily found at the local grocery store.
I love creating this recipe for gatherings, as it’s easy to make and quick to whip up. You don’t even need to wait until the cake is cool to add the drizzle. It’s a win-win!
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.
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.
Eggs
Eggs are multipurpose in cakes; they help with rising, richness, and taste.
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.
How to make lemon drizzle cake
- 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).
- 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).
Tips for the best result
1. Try mixing half lemon and half lime juice.
This unexpected combo creates a delicious citrus flavour in your lemon drizzle cake. You can include gin in the drizzle if you want the cake to feel more luxurious. Use half the amount of lemon juice and half gin for this swap.
2. Don’t skip poking holes in the cake!
You’ll want to poke holes in the cake if you want a super moist version of this lemon drizzle recipe. It helps the drizzle soak into the cake and allows the syrup to settle more evenly.
3. Add the drizzle while the cake is warm.
While you can add the lemon syrup once the cake is cooled, it soaks in much better if it is warm.
4. Save leftover lemon juice for other recipes.
If you have any extra lemon juice or lemons that are about to go bad, save it in a container for other sweet and savoury recipes. For example, you can use extra lemon juice to make this Easy Pesto Gnocchi.
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.
FAQs
There are a few reasons why your cake may sink. First, it may be underbaked. Ensure the knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. It also may not have been set in the oven. If you open the oven door before 40 minutes, and the cake isn’t set, it can cause it to sink.
Avoid overbaking this easy lemon drizzle cake, which can dry it out. Taking the cake out of the oven at the right time is the secret to a super moist cake. Also, adding the drizzle while the cake is still warm will help the frosting soak in, which adds moisture.
Avoid overbaking this easy lemon drizzle cake, which can dry it out. Taking the cake out of the oven at the right time is the secret to a super moist cake. Also, adding the drizzle while the cake is still warm will help the frosting soak in, which adds moisture.
Lemon drizzle cakes are also moist because of the amount of butter in the cake batter. Ensure you don’t skimp on the butter when making this recipe; otherwise, you risk creating a dry cake.
The secret to the best lemon drizzle cake is the self-rising flour and eggs! Both ingredients combine to create a fluffy, delicious cake that your friends and family will love.
If you tried this Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
The BEST Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large lemons (2x£0.30)=(£0.60)
- 225 g margarine or butter, at room temperature (£1.35/2)=(£0.67)
- 300 g caster sugar (£1.65/3)=(£0.55)
- 4 medium eggs, beaten (£1.00)
- 225 g self-raising flour (£0.80/6)=(£0.13)
Method
*Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
- Grease and line a 900g loaf tin (21cm x 8cm ) with a strip of baking paper
- Peel the zest of half a lemon using a potato peeler, and cut into matchstick strips. Set aside for decoration. Finely grate the rest of the zest
- 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.
- Place in a mixing bowl with just 225g of the caster sugar, the eggs, grated lemon zest and the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth, then spread in the cake tin.
- 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.
- 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. Add the strips of lemon peel too.
- Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork then pour over the drizzle and leave to cool in the tin. 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
Notes
- Try mixing half lemon and half lime juice
- Add the drizzle while the cake is warm for better absorption.
- Save leftover lemon juice for other recipes.
- Freeze in slices wrapped in the freezer, to eat whenever you fancy a treat.
Nutrition
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