
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 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 a 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 trying 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 to much about the size of eggs in a loaf cake, as long as they’re free-range.
Milk
The liquid 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!

This lemon drizzle cake is amazing! My go to recipe. Follow it exactly and you can’t go wrong!

Ingredients
- 170 g Self-raising Flour
- 115 g Butter/Margarine
- 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 created a syrup brush/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 or some yellow sugar.

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mmmmmm I do love a lemon drizzle cake – always so moist and full of lemon flavour. I like your little yellow sugar prices used for the decoration
thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
WOW! Made this cake this arvo- the cake smelt good, looked good and boy did it taste good too! So moist and zingy, can’t wait to share with family tomorrow. Bonus is kitchen smelt lovely Too! Glad I got to see you in Edinburgh and explore your fabulous baking page Amy!
This lemon drizzle cake is amazing! My go to recipe. Follow it exactly and you can’t go wrong
Hi I’m just wondering do you need to grease the tin as well or just line it?
No need, it comes out of the paper fine.
This cake always sinks on me nomatter what I do!!! I give up
Try a larger tin. My chocolate guiness cake always sank in the middle until I made it as a tray bake.
I have made dundee cake apple pie sultana cake cup cakes lemon cake Vitoria sponge almond slices everything is turned out amazing full of flavour family are enjoying eating them I want to do a birthday cake for my son’s 30th have you a recipe please
Best recipe for all sponge cakes, great web page x
Moist and very yummy!
Quite the tastiest lemon drizzle. We all loved it.
Quite the best Lemon Drizzle. We all loved it and even the crumbs disappeared!
Hi what is the best way to store lemon drizz;e cake please?
Regards Rosemary
All I can say is wow. Thank you Amy for sharing.
I’ve made this three times now, and every time it ends up amazing! This time I mixed Gin, Lemon and Icing together for the drizzle. Can’t wait to try it!
Used can’t believe it’s not butter The perfect light sponge every time I give it five stars
OH MY GOD!!!!!! I URGE you to try this recipe exactly as it is written, it’s sooo easy – all in one bowl and the result is honestly the best lemon drizzle I’ve ever eaten (I’m usually modest about my baking but I’m telling everyone!) Took it out after exactly 45 mins and it’s sooo moist and lemony. Wow
Just a question, could i add poppy seeds into this recipe? We have tried this recipe before and it was amazing!