Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Printable)

Moist loaf infused with fresh lemon and topped with a tangy citrus glaze for a bright, flavorful treat.

# What You 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2 lb 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 well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest until evenly distributed.
04 - Sift in self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Mix in milk and lemon juice until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - While the cake bakes, mix icing sugar and lemon juice to achieve a pourable consistency.
09 - Remove the baked loaf from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes. While still warm, poke holes all over the top using a skewer and slowly drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.
10 - Allow to cool completely in the tin before turning out and slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof—the kind of cake that comes together in under an hour and still impresses everyone at the table.
  • That warm glaze soaking into the still-hot cake creates this perfect balance of moist crumb and tangy sweetness that feels a bit luxurious without any fuss.
  • The lemon flavor is bright and forward without ever tasting artificial or one-note, because you're using both zest and juice working together.
02 -
  • Never skip the 10-minute rest in the tin before glazing—if you glaze a cake that's still steaming hot, the glaze will run right off the sides instead of soaking in where you want it.
  • The quality of your lemons genuinely matters here; waxy, thin-skinned lemons give you less zest and less juice, so look for heavier lemons that feel full of liquid and have thick, fragrant skin.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is very warm, chill your mixing bowl and beaters before creaming the butter and sugar—a cold bowl helps you achieve that perfect pale, fluffy stage without the mixture becoming greasy.
  • The difference between a good lemon cake and a great one is patience; don't rush the cooling time or the initial creaming stage, because these are where the texture and flavor develop their real character.
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