Classic British Lemon Drizzle Cake
A moist, tender loaf cake soaked in a tart-sweet lemon syrup — proper British teatime comfort with a zing. Crispy sugary top, soft crumb and a punchy lemon hit in every bite.
This is the lemon drizzle cake your nan would approve of — simple, reliably moist and properly lemony. It’s a British teatime classic: sticky, tart syrup soaks into a buttery sponge and leaves you with a glorious crunchy-sweet top.
Make it for afternoon tea, a bake sale, or whenever you need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It keeps well (if it lasts) and actually improves a little after 24 hours as the syrup evens out — if that’s not an excuse to bake twice, I don’t know what is.
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened
- 225 g caster sugar (for cake)
- 4 eggs, medium
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 2 large lemons lemon zest — zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp)
- 30 ml milk
- 150 g caster sugar (for drizzle)
- 60 ml lemon juice (fresh) — juice of about 2 lemons
- 15 ml icing sugar (optional, for dusting) — optional
Equipment
- 900 g loaf tin (23 x 13 cm)
- electric hand whisk or stand mixer
- microplane zester
- cooling rack
- small saucepan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 900 g/23 x 13 cm loaf tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Zest two lemons into a small bowl and squeeze the juice of the lemons into a separate small jug. Measure 60 ml of lemon juice for the drizzle and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and 225 g caster sugar together until pale and fluffy — about 3–4 minutes with an electric hand whisk or 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. To reduce the risk of curdling, beat in a tablespoon of the flour with the first egg.
Sift the remaining self-raising flour and baking powder into the bowl, then fold in gently with a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined. Fold in the lemon zest and milk until smooth — don’t overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, level the top with the back of a spoon and smooth. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. The cake is done when it’s golden, springs back slightly and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
While the cake bakes, make the lemon drizzle: put 150 g caster sugar and 60 ml lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to make a syrup, then remove from the heat.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick the top all over with a skewer or fork (about 20–30 holes). Immediately pour the hot lemon syrup evenly over the cake so it sinks in. Let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes to absorb the drizzle.
Lift the cake out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (about 1 hour). If using, dust with icing sugar just before serving.
Slice and serve with a pot of tea or a dollop of thick cream/yoghurt if you’re feeling decadent.
Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs and softened butter — they incorporate more easily and give a lighter cake.
- If the batter looks a touch curdled after adding eggs, keep beating; it will come together. Adding a spoonful of flour with the first egg prevents curdling.
- Prick the cake immediately and pour syrup while the cake is hot — that’s the single most important trick for a properly soaked drizzle cake.
- Make-ahead: keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2–3 days. The drizzle keeps the cake moist; refrigerating will firm the butter and make it dense.
- If the top browns too fast, tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking to avoid a burnt crust.
Substitutions
self-raising flour → plain (all-purpose) flour + 2 tsp baking powder (use same 225 g flour)
Stays closecaster sugar → granulated sugar (same weight) — texture a little coarser but flavour unchanged
Stays closeunsalted butter → dairy-free block margarine (same weight) for a dairy-free cake
Noticeably differentlemons → limes (juice and zest) for a tangy, slightly different citrus note
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 430
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 55 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 38 g
- Sugar
- 160 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in a round tin or as cupcakes?
Yes — use a 20 cm round tin (bake 35–45 minutes) or make cupcakes (bake 18–22 minutes). Keep the same drizzle proportion but adjust pricking/drizzling so smaller cakes don’t collapse.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
Common causes: underbaking, opening the oven door too early, overmixing the batter or too much leavening. Use the skewer test and don’t open the oven for the first 30–35 minutes.
Can I make the drizzle less sweet?
Yes — reduce the drizzle sugar to 100 g for a tarter, less sweet finish. The cake will still be moist but with a sharper lemon hit.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze whole or in slices (well wrapped) for up to 2 months; defrost at room temperature.
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