Lemon Drizzle Cake (Printer-friendly)

A light lemon-infused sponge paired with tangy citrus glaze, perfect for an elegant treat.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
05 - Zest of 2 lemons
06 - 2 tablespoons milk
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Lemon Syrup

08 - Juice of 2 lemons
09 - 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

→ Drizzle Icing

10 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2 lb loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
04 - Gently fold in self-raising flour, lemon zest, milk, and salt until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
06 - While baking, mix lemon juice and granulated sugar until sugar dissolves.
07 - Remove cake from oven and, while warm, pierce top with a skewer. Slowly drizzle lemon syrup over the cake to soak in.
08 - Allow cake to cool fully in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
09 - Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice to obtain a thick, pourable consistency.
10 - Drizzle icing evenly over the cooled cake. Let set before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The syrup soaks into the warm sponge and creates little pockets of sweetness that surprise you with every bite.
  • It stays moist for days, which means you can bake it ahead and still serve it like it just came out of the oven.
  • The balance between the soft crumb and the crunchy icing on top is oddly satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip poking the holes before adding the syrup, without them the syrup just runs off the sides and you lose all that tangy moisture.
  • Let the cake cool completely before icing it or the drizzle will melt and soak in instead of setting on top.
  • Use a proper loaf tin, not a shallow baking dish, or the cake will spread out flat and bake unevenly.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients instead of using cups, baking is more reliable that way and you'll get consistent results every time.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the cake at 35 minutes because overbaking will dry it out no matter how much syrup you pour on.
  • Make extra syrup and keep it in a jar, you can brush it on other cakes or stir it into sparkling water for a quick homemade lemonade.

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