Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake is an absolute baking classic! If you've ever dipped your toe into the world of baking, you've probably made one. My version is light, fluffy and super moist. Oh, and packed with plenty of zingy lemon flavour! This is such a simple one bowl cake to make, with only five ingredients. I've drenched it with a zingy yet sweet drizzle, then added some lemon icing and zest to decorate. You may also know a loaf cake as a pound cake, either way, if you bake this cake you will be transported to lemon heaven!
In this series I will be sharing recipes for basic baked goods, think a classic Victoria sponge cake, a brilliant white bread loaf, and ultimate gooey chocolate brownies! So basic in name, but definitely not basic in taste and enjoyment. This series is mainly for beginner bakers who want to learn the secrets behind baking, because getting the basics right is the best place to start. More experienced bakers will really enjoy it too, as there are so many delicious recipes to try out! This time it is the turn of Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post. This post is full of helpful tips and commonly asked questions when making lemon drizzle loaf cake, so I do recommend reading through it all first.
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It's a traditional English cake that has been a popular feature of afternoon tea for many years. It's most commonly made in a loaf cake shape, however it can also be made as a round cake or cupcakes too. The first recorded published recipe was shared by Evelyn Rose in the Jewish Chronicle back in the 1960s. However, it's very likely that lemon drizzle cake or similar lemon cakes have been made in England for hundreds of years!
You only need a few basic pieces of equipment to make this cake: a 2lb loaf tin, mixing bowl, citrus zester and juicer, and a whisk (either manual or electric). You can absolutely make this cake by hand with a manual whisk, but I do recommend using an electric whisk or a stand mixer if you can for the best results. A pastry brush (I prefer the silicone ones) is also handy for brushing the drizzle on top of the cake, but you can do this with a spoon too. And a piping bag is useful for adding the icing, but again a spoon can be used instead.
You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe (you can test the size of your loaf tin by seeing how much water the tin can hold, 2lb will hold about 2 pints/1100mls of water). If you have a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the ingredient amounts. I have a few different 2lb loaf tins, that all have slightly different measurements. The one I used for this recipe has internal measurements of 22cm x 11cm x 6cm. If your 2lb loaf tin is slightly narrower, your cake may need slightly longer to bake.
Lovely Lemon Drizzle Loaf Recipe
For easy and quick lining of the tin, use a loaf cake tin liner*, however if you don't have any of these you can use baking paper instead. Cut two pieces of baking paper, one wider piece and one longer and thinner piece. The wider piece will cover the two longer sides of the tin and the base, then place the longer thinner piece over the top of the first piece and cover the base again, and the smaller sides. Making a cross shape with the baking paper. I always grease the tin lightly before adding the liner or baking paper, as this helps to keep the paper in place and stop it from moving around when you add the batter.
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Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.
Keto Lemon Pound Cake
If you're not familiar with these terms, the creaming method refers to adding ingredients one at a time and mixing between additions. For example, making a cake by first mixing the butter and sugar together, then adding eggs and mixing them in, then adding flour and mixing that in. The all in one method is adding all of the ingredients in the bowl together and mixing them together all at once. I personally recommend the creaming method as it gives you a chance at each stage to ensure everything is well mixed together, which in turn adds air and lightness to the batter. You can also be more vigorous with your mixing when adding the eggs to ensure they are well incorporated, but then more gentle when adding the flour so as not to knock any air out of the batter. This results in a beautifully light and well risen sponge.
While I would recommend using fresh lemons in this recipe for the best flavour, you can use lemon extract if it's all you have and you're craving lemon cake! A good quality lemon extract can create wonderful lemon flavour in bakes. You won't be able to make the lemon drizzle part of this recipe, but you still make the cake and the lemon icing. Mix 4 tsp lemon extract into the cake, and 1 tsp lemon extract into the icing (you will also need a little water too for the right consistency of icing).
Start by mixing the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then mix in the eggs until well incorporated. This is best done with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer, but you can do it by hand with a whisk or spoon too.
Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
Next add the self raising flour and gently whisk it in. Then gently fold in the lemon zest. Pour all of the batter into the lined tin.
While the cake is baking, mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar together and set aside. Bake the cake for 1 hour, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. When it comes out of the oven, poke it all over with a thin skewer. Brush the lemon juice and sugar mixture all over it and leave it to cool fully in the tin.
The cake takes 1 hour to bake in my oven. When it is done it will be risen and golden all across the top. If you insert a thin skewer or cocktail stick into the centre, it will come out clean with no wet cake batter on it. If it is still wet after the baking time is up, give it another 10 minutes and check again. Or if it looks done 10 minutes before the baking time is up, check it using the skewer method. All ovens are different and even modern ovens can be a slightly difference temperature inside to what the dial says. An oven thermometer is cheap to purchase and will tell you exactly what temperature your oven is inside. If the cake is getting too dark on top, you can turn the temperature of the oven down slightly, or cover the top with foil to prevent it from burning. This cake need a low and slow bake to make sure it cooks all the way through, so don't be tempted to turn up the oven to try and rush it as this will most like lead to a burnt cake on the outside and raw cake batter inside.
Lemon Yogurt Cake Recipe
Yes! A slight crack down the middle of a loaf cake is totally normal, and I think it gives the cake character and a rustic homemade feel too. Some people even encourage a crack to happen by adding a line of melted butter or oil down the centre of the batter! If your loaf cake has a very large crack, it could be that it was baked on too high a temperature (or that your oven runs hotter inside than the dial says).
This cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen. Wrap it well in cling film, or place it in an airtight container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. You
If you're not familiar with these terms, the creaming method refers to adding ingredients one at a time and mixing between additions. For example, making a cake by first mixing the butter and sugar together, then adding eggs and mixing them in, then adding flour and mixing that in. The all in one method is adding all of the ingredients in the bowl together and mixing them together all at once. I personally recommend the creaming method as it gives you a chance at each stage to ensure everything is well mixed together, which in turn adds air and lightness to the batter. You can also be more vigorous with your mixing when adding the eggs to ensure they are well incorporated, but then more gentle when adding the flour so as not to knock any air out of the batter. This results in a beautifully light and well risen sponge.
While I would recommend using fresh lemons in this recipe for the best flavour, you can use lemon extract if it's all you have and you're craving lemon cake! A good quality lemon extract can create wonderful lemon flavour in bakes. You won't be able to make the lemon drizzle part of this recipe, but you still make the cake and the lemon icing. Mix 4 tsp lemon extract into the cake, and 1 tsp lemon extract into the icing (you will also need a little water too for the right consistency of icing).
Start by mixing the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then mix in the eggs until well incorporated. This is best done with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer, but you can do it by hand with a whisk or spoon too.
Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
Next add the self raising flour and gently whisk it in. Then gently fold in the lemon zest. Pour all of the batter into the lined tin.
While the cake is baking, mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar together and set aside. Bake the cake for 1 hour, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. When it comes out of the oven, poke it all over with a thin skewer. Brush the lemon juice and sugar mixture all over it and leave it to cool fully in the tin.
The cake takes 1 hour to bake in my oven. When it is done it will be risen and golden all across the top. If you insert a thin skewer or cocktail stick into the centre, it will come out clean with no wet cake batter on it. If it is still wet after the baking time is up, give it another 10 minutes and check again. Or if it looks done 10 minutes before the baking time is up, check it using the skewer method. All ovens are different and even modern ovens can be a slightly difference temperature inside to what the dial says. An oven thermometer is cheap to purchase and will tell you exactly what temperature your oven is inside. If the cake is getting too dark on top, you can turn the temperature of the oven down slightly, or cover the top with foil to prevent it from burning. This cake need a low and slow bake to make sure it cooks all the way through, so don't be tempted to turn up the oven to try and rush it as this will most like lead to a burnt cake on the outside and raw cake batter inside.
Lemon Yogurt Cake Recipe
Yes! A slight crack down the middle of a loaf cake is totally normal, and I think it gives the cake character and a rustic homemade feel too. Some people even encourage a crack to happen by adding a line of melted butter or oil down the centre of the batter! If your loaf cake has a very large crack, it could be that it was baked on too high a temperature (or that your oven runs hotter inside than the dial says).
This cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen. Wrap it well in cling film, or place it in an airtight container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. You
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