Lemon Drizzle Cake
The very best Lemon Drizzle Cake you have ever tasted! Deliciously moist, zingy in flavour, with the perfect drizzle glaze on top.
This past week has been a crazy one. My hands are literally blistered from baking, and my body is now running on empty. What I need right about now is a decent cup of tea and a delicious pick-me-up, like a slice of Granny’s Lemon Drizzle cake!
For those of you who aren’t following Baking it Granny on social media (Facebook & Instagram), you may have missed that this weekend I was demoing at the Foodies Festival in Edinburgh. It was a fantastic weekend filled with baking and tons of amazing food. It was lovely getting to chat with people about all the things their Granny’s used to bake too.
Today, though, it is back to reality. I had hoped to have Granny’s Lemon Drizzle Cake up before now, but I found myself drowning in Tiffin as I prepared for the Foodies Festival. That didn’t stop me from enjoying a slice or two of this Lemon Drizzle (which I’d thankfully baked the week before) to keep me powering through the endless prep.
Like any good Lemon Drizzle, this moist little loaf is bursting with flavour and topped with a zesty icing glaze, which holds a little crunch. Best of all, you literally bung it all in a bowl, mix it, bake it, finish it with some syrup & icing, and you’re done! And with Granny’s tried and tested methods, we guarantee there won’t be a dry-tasting slice in the house!
Ingredients:
Self-raising Flour
As with most cakes, self-raising flour is required. But if you only have plain to hand, fear not! You can use plain flour with the addition of some baking powder.
Butter or Margarine
Either will do, and it’s personal preference to which you choose. I opt for margarine as a way to omit the dairy, but whatever you choose, just be sure it’s at room temperature before baking.
Caster Sugar
No cake would be complete without some caster sugar. You can even try swapping to Golden Caster Sugar for a more caramel-y taste.
Free-range Eggs
The traditional glue of choice in any cake batter. I don’t tend to stress too much about the size of eggs in a loaf cake, as long as they’re free-range.
Milk
The liquid is used to help add a bit of moisture to your Lemon Drizzle cake. You can use whatever milk you have to hand (dairy or otherwise), but for the richest of cakes, full-fat is the best.
Lemon
Of course, a lemon is required! You’ll be using the zest in the cake. and the juice for the syrup, drizzle, and crunchy icing topping. Maximising the lemony punch!
Icing Sugar
For the lemon syrup, used to drizzle into your freshly baking lemon cake. As well as the crunchy lemon icing topping. Sweeeeet!
Lemon Drizzle Cake
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 170 g Self-raising Flour
- 115 g Butter or Margarine (softened)
- 170 g Caster Sugar
- 2 Free-range Eggs
- 5 tbsp Milk
- 1 Lemon
- 85 g Icing Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan assisted ovens or Gas Mark 4) and line a 2lb loaf tin with some greaseproof paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour over the butter, caster sugar, eggs, milk and zest of your lemon. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Transfer to your pre-lined tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden on top and skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before poking the top of your cake all over with a skewer.
- In a small bowl, mix half the icing sugar with the juice of your lemon to create a syrup-like icing, and spoon half of the syrup all over the cake.
- Add the other half of icing sugar to the remaining syrup to create a thin icing. Spoon over the top whilst the cake is still warm to finish with an icing glaze.
- If desired, top with a little extra lemon zest.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
RECIPE NOTES:
- For full explanations on each ingredient and possible substitutions, see the Ingredients section above.
- Lemon Drizzle should be stored in an airtight container, and will keep for about 1 week.
- You can freeze Lemon Drizzle Loaf, either as a complete loaf, or in slices. Tightly wrap your lemon drizzle cake in cling film, then again in tin foil. To defrost, remove from the freezer and allow to warm to room temperature before eating. Do not re-freeze once defrosted, and do not leave in your freezer for more than 3 months to avoid freezer-burn.
To make Lemon Drizzle Cake, you start by creaming the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time. Add the flour and lemon zest before baking in a loaf tin until golden and springy.
Whilst still warm, poke some holes across the cake and pour over the drizzle icing made from freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar, and let it soak in for a beautifully moist, zesty finish.
Lemon drizzle icing is so incredibly easy to make, and really does make lemon drizzle loaf cake what it is. All you need is some lemon juice and icing sugar.
You start by making a syrup-like icing to drench your lemon drizzle sponge cake. You then add a bit more sugar to the syrup to create a thicker icing to top your cake with, and give it that lovely glazed top.
Originally published in August 2017. Updated in March 2025.
Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating the updated photos.
Have made this came several times it’s now my family’s favourite just love it.
Confusing because in the description on how to make it you say cream the butter and sugar together but in the instructions you say put the lot in together and mix?
Made 2 of these yesterday one to share and 1 to freeze . I did a dairy free version using Flora buttery and oat milk. Turned out lovely and moist. Gets.will do again
just made this cake as needed a quick basic no fuss recipe that only needed two eggs (i had med size) also luckily i had one lemon left over since xmas 24 but still edible not off. no icing sugar and ran out of baking margerine weight so had to add some ‘salted’ butter as all i had. also added a teaspoon of vanilla essence. it took 43 mins to cook. but i kept testing it on and off with a wooden skewer. left 5 mins in container and all i had was some lemon juice left, i did not put lemon rind in the cake mix as lemon not a fresh one. i added golden vaster sugar to lemon juice and a squirt of ginger honey, after 5 mins poked holes in cake top and spooned over the syrup…
beautiful cake, which i will be saving the recipe so next time i can do exactly as recipe states, evenso, turned out delicious!!!
oh forgot to say, as all helps, used golden caster sugar as no white in the recipe, in the syrup and then sprinkled on top too, sooooo yummy
I’ve made this Lemon Drizzle Cake a few times and love it ever time. Fabulous recipe and the finished result looks and tastes amazing. Thank you.