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–+ servings
Sliced lemon drizzle cake with icing and lemon zest on top, served with a cup of tea.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Jennifer Ryan
Bright, buttery lemon drizzle cake with fresh lemon flavor and a sweet citrus topping. Easy, moist, and perfect for dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 434 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Lemon Drizzle Topping:

Glaze Icing (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Add the sugar to a mixing bowl and grate in the lemon zest.
    1 cup white caster sugar, 2 lemons
    A mixing bowl with sugar and lemon zest for lemon drizzle cake preparation.
  • Stir the sugar and lemon zest together. Let it sit for 1 hour if possible to deepen the lemon flavor. You can skip this step if needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a loaf pan with greased parchment paper.
    Oven preheated to 350°F or 180°C and displayed in bold orange text.
  • In a small bowl, combine the self-rising flour, baking powder, and fine salt.
    2 ¼ cups self-rising flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon fine salt
    A bowl filled with a mixture of flour and baking powder.
  • Add the flour mixture to the lemon sugar.
    A bowl of flour and lemon zest with a spatula resting inside, ready for baking.
  • Add the room temperature butter, eggs, and milk.
    1 cup unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, ¼ cup milk
    Ingredients for lemon drizzle cake, including butter, eggs, and flour, mixed in a bowl.
  • Beat with an electric mixer until the batter is smooth, fluffy, and evenly combined.
    Bowl of creamy lemon cake batter ready for baking.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
    Batter for lemon drizzle cake in a loaf pan, ready for baking.
  • Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
    A freshly baked lemon drizzle cake in a loaf pan on a marble surface.
  • While the cake cools slightly, make the lemon drizzle. Whisk the granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice together until smooth.
    ¾ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
    A whisk in a bowl of lemon mixture, ready for making lemon drizzle cake.
  • Use a skewer to poke holes all over the top of the warm cake.
    A hand inserting a toothpick into a freshly baked lemon drizzle cake in a loaf pan.
  • Spoon or pour the lemon drizzle evenly over the cake, letting it soak into the holes.
    A freshly baked lemon drizzle cake in a gray loaf pan, glistening with a sweet glaze.
  • Let the cake cool completely to room temperature before removing it from the pan.
  • If using the optional glaze icing, whisk the powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice until smooth. Add a little more lemon juice if needed, until the glaze is thick but pourable.
    ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and sprinkle with lemon zest, if desired.
    1 tablespoon lemon zest
    A close-up of a lemon drizzle cake topped with icing and lemon zest.
  • Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
    A sliced lemon drizzle cake with a lemon slice and a cup of tea in the background.

Notes

Tips and Tricks
  • Letting the lemon zest sit in the sugar helps build a stronger lemon flavor.
  • This resting step is useful, but the cake will still work if you skip it.
  • Use room temperature butter so the batter mixes more smoothly.
  • Smooth the top before baking so the loaf bakes evenly.
  • Check the center with a toothpick before removing the cake from the oven.
  • Poke the holes while the cake is still warm so the drizzle can soak in.
  • Let the cake cool fully before removing it from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 83mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 687IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Keywords cake, cake decorating, drizzle, lamon cake, lemon, lemons
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