Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Print View)

Moist and zesty loaf with fresh lemon and a tangy glaze, ideal for brightening up your baking.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 7 oz unsalted butter, softened
02 - 7 oz caster sugar
03 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest from 2 lemons
05 - 7 oz self-raising flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 3 tablespoons whole milk
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ For the Lemon Drizzle

10 - 2.8 oz icing sugar
11 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2 pound loaf tin with baking parchment.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in lemon zest until evenly distributed.
04 - Sift self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture. Fold gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Mix in milk and lemon juice until batter is smooth and homogeneous.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - While cake bakes, whisk icing sugar and lemon juice together to achieve a pourable consistency.
09 - Remove loaf from oven and cool in tin for 10 minutes. While still warm, pierce the top surface with a skewer and slowly drizzle lemon glaze evenly across the cake.
10 - Allow cake to cool completely in tin before turning out and slicing into 8 portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deceptively simple but tastes like you spent all morning fussing over it.
  • The warm cake soaks up the glaze like it was made for each other, creating pockets of intense lemon flavor throughout.
  • Comes together in less than an hour, so you can have warm cake with tea before dinner.
02 -
  • The glaze must go on while the cake is still warm, or it won't penetrate and soak in—the contrast between crispy top and moist interior is what makes this cake special.
  • Never skip the resting time in the tin; it gives the cake structure to handle the glaze without falling apart.
03 -
  • Invest in a fine grater or microplane for the lemon zest—it makes a noticeable difference in how evenly the flavor distributes.
  • If you forget to take eggs out early, sit them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5 minutes and they'll warm through quickly.
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