Description
This Lemon Drizzle Cake is an easy-to-make, moist, and flavorful treat perfect for any occasion. The cake features a delicate balance of buttery sweetness with fresh lemon zest baked in, finished with a tangy lemon icing that soaks into the warm cake for an extra burst of citrus goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
- 250 g (9 oz) Unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing your tin
- 250 g (1 1/3 cups) Caster sugar
- 4 Medium eggs
- 250 g (1.5 cups) Self-raising flour
- Zest of 3 lemons (reserve the zested lemons for juice used in the drizzle)
For the Drizzle:
- 100 g (0.5 cups) Icing sugar
- Juice of approximately 1½ large unwaxed lemons (adjust for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 160℃/325°F fan, 180℃/350°F conventional, or Gas Mark 4. Grease a loaf tin with butter and line it with baking paper to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the unsalted butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, and lemon zest. Beat together thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Bake the Cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing out the top evenly. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking after 45 minutes as oven times may vary.
- Prepare Lemon Drizzle: While the cake is still warm in the tin, use a skewer or thin sharp knife to poke small holes all over the surface of the cake. In a bowl, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to create a thin and smooth paste. The juice of about 1½ lemons is usually required, but adjust to keep the mixture runny yet viscous.
- Apply Drizzle: Pour the lemon drizzle slowly over the warm cake, allowing it to seep into the holes and absorb fully, enhancing moistness and flavor.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the tin briefly before transferring it to a wire rack. Serve slices as desired and enjoy the refreshing lemon taste with every bite.
Notes
- Cooking times may vary depending on your oven; start checking the cake from 45 minutes onwards to avoid over or underbaking.
- Unsalted butter results in a purer butter flavor, but salted butter can be used if that’s what you have.
- Golden caster sugar adds a subtle caramel note if available, otherwise regular caster sugar is perfect.
- Use free-range eggs for best results; weighing eggs in their shells should total approximately 250g to ensure accuracy.
- Unwaxed lemons are ideal since you use the zest; if not available, wash the lemons thoroughly before zesting.
