This Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake is light, moist, extremely lemony and impossible to resist! It really is the best lemon drizzle cake I’ve ever tried!
A classic lemon drizzle cake is one of my all-time favourite bakes. There is just something about that crunchy sugar lemony topping that I find completely irresistible. Even more so than chocolate cake. Yes, I really did just say that!
I have lots of fruity cake recipes on here – Lemon and lime Madeira cake, orange marmalade cake, plum Amaretti crumble cake and this gorgeous Pink Grapefruit drizzle cake.
If you’re a traybake fan, I also have a recipe for lemon drizzle traybake.
When I discovered I didn’t even have my lemon drizzle cake recipe on my blog, I knew I had to sort that out immediately. Shocking behaviour!
If you love lemon desserts, then this recipe is for you. I’ve tried many lemon drizzle cakes over the years and this is now a real favourite.
ingredient list
- Soft Butter or baking margarine
- Caster Sugar
- The zest of 2 Lemons and the juice of 1
- Self Raising Flour
- 3 Medium Eggs
- Lemon Curd and Lemon Extract (Optional but really good if you love a super lemony cake)
For the Drizzle:
- Granulated Sugar
- the juice of one lemon
For the Icing Glaze: (optional)
- Icing Sugar
- the juice of half a lemon
how to make this easy lemon drizzle cake
Step one – Place the caster sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the finely grated zest of two lemons until the sugar is fragrant and zesty.
Step two – Add the soft butter, flour, eggs and lemon curd and extract (if using) to the bowl.
Step three – Beat the mixture for about 2 minutes or until you have a smooth, dropping consistency batter.
Step four – Spoon the cake mixture into a greased and lined 2lb/900g loaf tin.
Step five – Bake at 180C/160Fan/350F for 45-55 minutes or until the cake is golden, well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake emerges clean. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
Step six – For the drizzle, mix together 80g granulated sugar and the juice of one and 1/2 lemons.
Step seven – Pierce the cake all over with a skewer, then slowly pour over the drizzle.
Leave the cake to go completely cold before removing it from the tin and slicing – it will fall to pieces if you try and cut it while still warm.
My tips and tricks for making a moist lemoN drizzle caKe
- Make sure the butter is very soft – if you use butter straight from the fridge the mixture will never be smooth, no matter how much you mix it.
- I rub the lemon zest into the sugar before adding the rest of the ingredients. This releases the citrus oils and gives the sugar extra flavour.
- Be sure to pour the drizzle over the cake when the cake is still hot.
- Pierce the cake all over with a long skewer and go all the way down to the bottom. The more drizzle the cake soaks up, the better!
- You can leave the cake with a crunchy sugar topping or you can gild the lily even further by adding the zesty icing drizzle. I’ll leave that up to you – it’s delicious either way!
Why did my lemon drizzle cake sink?
There are many factors that can cause a cake to sink in the middle. Here are the main culprits:
- The oven temperature was too high, which caused the cake to rise rapidly then sink. Oven temperatures can vary dramatically.
- I highly recommend spending a few pounds on an oven thermometer – if you bake a lot it’s a worthwhile investment. It will make a huge difference to your baking.
- The cake was removed from the oven too early. When the cake is fully baked, it will spring back in the middle when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake will emerge clean (no wet, sticky batter sticking to the tester)
- The oven door was slammed shut during baking. Closing the oven door can cause cakes to sink in the middle.
- Opening the oven door too early can also cause a cake to sink in the middle.
- Overmixing the cake batter. Over-beating the cake ingredients can sometimes cause a cake to sink in the middle. It’s best to stop mixing as soon as the batter is smooth and well combined.
Can i make lemon drizzle cake with plain flour?
If you don’t have any self raising flour, you can use plain (all purpose) flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking powder.
Storing
Stored in an airtight tin or container at room temperature, lemon drizzle cake will keep for up to five days.
can you freeze lemon drizzle cake?
Yes! You can freeze lemon drizzle cake with no problems. When the cake is completely cold, wrap it tightly in cling film or place in a large zip lock freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 months.
more loaf cake recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might love….
- coconut and cherry loaf cake
- Gingerbread loaf cake
- Raspberry Bakewell loaf cake
- Coconut and raspberry jam loaf cake
- Classic banana bread
- blood orange olive oil loaf cake
- golden syrup loaf cake
- date and walnut loaf cake
Prefer making small cakes? Try my Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes instead!
Did you make this recipe?
I really hope you loved it! Let me know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below and please rate the recipe by clicking on the stars in the recipe card.
Don’t forget to subscribe
Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button on my home page in the sidebar to receive my recipes the minute they are published straight to your inbox!
Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake
This Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake is moist, light and tastes absolutely delicious. A timeless classic cake!
Ingredients
- 200g Caster (Super Fine) Sugar
- Finely Grated Zest of Two Lemons
- 200g Soft Butter or Baking Spread
- 3 Medium Eggs, Beaten
- 225g Self Raising Flour
- 1 LEVEL tablespoon Lemon Curd (optional)
- 1 tsp Lemon Extract (optional)
- FOR THE DRIZZLE
- 80 g Granulated Sugar
- Juice of One Lemon
- FOR THE ICING (OPTIONAL)
- 100 g Icing Sugar
- Juice of half a Lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F.
- Grease and line the base and sides of a 900G (2lb) Loaf Tin (the dimensions of the tin I use are 9x5x3 inches)
- Place the caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is damp and fragrant.
- Add the butter, eggs, self raising flour and lemon curd and lemon extract if using.
- Using a hand mixer (or by hand if you're feeling strong!) beat the mixture for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth.
- Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until well risen and golden on the top. A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should emerge clean.
- While the cake is in the oven, mix together the 80g granulated sugar and lemon juice for the drizzle.
- As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, take a skewer and insert little holes all over the top of the cake, going all the way to the bottom of the cake.
- Slowly pour the drizzle all over the cake, making sure every area of the cake gets a good amount of drizzle. Leave to cool completely before turning out of the tin.
- If you're icing the cake, mix together the icing sugar and lemon juice until you have a smooth icing. You might need to add a few drops of water if the icing is too thick.
- Pour the icing over the top of the cake, letting the icing drizzle down the sides.
Notes
You don't have to add the lemon glaze if you just want to keep the crunchy sugary topping - I'll leave it up to you!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 348Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 438mgCarbohydrates: 43gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 4g
What a perfect spring lemony loaf. Looks so delicious. Would be so good with a cup of hot ginger tea?
Thank you Esha. It would be lovely with ginger tea!
That is one seriously gorgeous looking cake! That dripping frosting – swoon!
Thank you Elizabeth!
My Family would love this recipe. We are lemon lovers and that drizzle looks perfect.
Lemon drizzle cake is one of my all time – go to favourites. I like the crunchy top so don’t usually ice it!
Thank you Angela!
Drizzle cakes make me so happy! This looks absolutely stunning
Thank you so much!
Thanks Heidi!
Hi just found your site amazing and have just made the above lemon cake could you tell if this is possible to freeze with out the icings
Thanks
Paula
Hi Paula, yes it’s absolutely fine to freeze the cake uniced. I wouldn’t actually recommend freezing it iced – it would make the cake very soggy once defrosted. Thank you!
I tried it and the cake just sinks in the middle and don’t know if it’s because I didn’t add butter but it doesn’t say to add the butter
Hi Leia, I just checked and it says to add 200g of Butter in the recipe card? I’m really sorry the cake didn’t work for you – it definitely would have sank because of the lack of butter 🙁
Hi , I have made this Lemon Drizzle cake twice now , just love it . Thank you so much for this recipe .
Its by far the best one yet , thanks
Hi Norma
I’m so pleased you like the recipe. Thank you for letting me know!
Hi, why have you taken a spoon of lemon curd out of the recipe?
I have to tell you that I make this, with the curd and I’ve never had so many compliments as I have with this cake. I won’t be changing it.
Thank you for the recipe, it’s the most moist and delicious lemon cake ever.
Hi Rob, I’m really delighted you like the recipe so much! I omitted the lemon curd because I had a few emails from people saying the cake was sinking. I re-tested the recipe 3 times and I found when I was a little heavy handed with the curd the cake would sink in the middle a little. So I suspect this is what is happening. I’ve added the curd back into the recipe card as an optional extra because as you say, it does make the cake extra delicious. But if it works for you, great! I’m so pleased you… Read more »
Do you pour the icing glaze over the sugar syrup or turn the cake upside down and pour over what would originally be the bottom?
Hi Nikki would this recipe convert to lemon and poppy seed cake but in
Individual jumbo muffin cases ? If so how much poppy seeds ?
Hi Molly, I’m honestly not sure if it would work. I would need to do some recipe testing first. Funnily enough I am actually working on a lemon and poppyseed muffin recipe at the moment! When do you need the recipe for?
I have just made this and it was fabulous. I am a novice baker so it was a superb result for me
I’m so glad it was a success! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! ?
I have the cake in the oven at the moment and it is lovely and golden on top bit still raw in the middle. Can I cover it with foil to stop it burning while it continues to cook?
Baking paper is better, but yes you can use foil.
Can I put this in cupcake cases
To be honest I’ve never tried it so I’m not sure. It may work but I would need to test it out first!
I am trying out new things. Never made a lemon drizzle cake and I am chuffed with the result. Thank you. I am going to make another tomorrow and leave it on my elderly neighbour’s doorstep.
My first lemon drizzle and it is delicious! Thank you very much for your wonderful recipe Nickki.
That’s a lovely idea. I’m so pleased you like the recipe! Take care Karen ?
Hi Georgia, I’m so pleased you like it! Thank you for letting me know ?
Hi Nickki – Cake looks delicious, will definitely give it a go! If you only had large eggs would you still use 3 or reduce to 2? Thanks!
Hi Sarah, if you have large eggs I would use two. Hope you like the cake!
Hi, do you let the cake cool before putting the icing on top?
Hi, yes leave the cake to cool first. Alternatively you can just have the sugary topping on its own – either way it’s yummy!
Hi, I followed the recipe exactly but my cake sank in the middle. Perhaps the middle is cooked enough but the outsides were burning. Any advice for next time?
Hi Georgie, sorry to hear that. It sounds like your oven temperature was a bit too hot. The initial burst of heat would have caused the cake to rise too quickly and brown on the outsides. If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend an oven thermometer. ovens can vary so much and a thermometer is a very handy tool to have if you bake lots. Hope this helps!
This sunk in the middle for me. I followed the recipe directly, had my oven at 160 because its fan assisted but it still cooked too quickly on the outside but not inside.
Really nice cake, but every time I’ve made it I’ve had to put it in for way way longer than the recipe says. If i pulled it out after 45mins it would just be heated up batter.
Aww Claire, that’s a shame, I’m sorry. How badly did it sink? There are a few reasons a cake can sink – I have a few tips in the post that might help prevent it from happening in the future. But without seeing you make it, it’s hard to know what went wrong. Were all the ingredients at room temperature? That can sometimes be a factor.
Hello!
Just to say i have now made this twice and it has been absolutely perfect. My boyfriends new favourite cake!!
Thank you
Thank you Kelly, I’m delighted to hear that!
Wow, this is an incredible lemon cake, saved it in bookmarks to make sure I go back to this every time
I’m so glad you like it!
The drizzle looks perfect! I don’t have a loaf pan though. Would a round 8-in pan work for this cake or will the proportions and taste not be right?
I’ve never tried it, but I imagine the amount of batter would work out ok in an 8 inch tin. Let me know if you try it!
Can I reduce the amount of sugar, will it still work ok?
Hi Sharon! I’ve never tried but I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Reducing sugar in a cake recipe will often change the texture and structure of the cake and can also cause the cake to be quite dry.
Do you put the icing on whilst it’s hot too??
Ice the cake when it’s completely cold 🙂