Easy old fashioned lemon drizzle loaf cake recipe

Introduction

Lemon Drizzle Cake is one of the staples of a classic English afternoon tea.

This classic lemon drizzle cake recipe is one I come back to again and again — a proper, old-fashioned loaf cake with a soft, buttery crumb and that irresistible sharp-yet-sweet lemon topping that seeps down into every layer as it cools. It’s the kind of bake that belongs on a cake stand next to a pot of Earl Grey, sliced thick, and eaten without any pretence of restraint.

I think lemon drizzle earns its place as one of the great British teatime classics precisely because it doesn’t try too hard. There’s no fancy icing, no piping, no fuss — just good butter, fresh lemons, and a syrup poured on while the sponge is still warm enough to drink it all in.

Hot lemon syrup being spooned over a loaf sponge cake

Why This Lemon Drizzle Cake Works

Firstly, we use the classic sponge cake technique of matching the butter, sugar & flour to the weight of the eggs. This was how sponge cakes were made in the Victorian when Mrs Beeton recorded this way of measuring in er cookery books. It’s a simple system that works incredibly well. Just weigh your eggs in their shells and whatever they weigh, you simply weigh out the same quantity of butter, sugar and flour. So, if your eggs weigh 120g then you need 120g butter, 120g sugar and 120g flour – just follow the eggs!

This version takes its lemon flavour in two stages. This is what gives it such a moist, deeply citrus crumb with a pretty finish on top. First, the sugar and lemon juice are gently melted together into a true syrup before it goes anywhere near the cake. This is different to the classic method of simply stirring sugar and juice together and pouring it on gritty. A dissolved syrup soaks into warm sponge far more readily than an undissolved one. So instead of a crackly, crystallised crust, you get a cake that’s saturated with lemon flavour right through. It gives a soft, slightly sticky top rather than a crunchy one.

Once the cake has cooled, a simple icing sugar and lemon juice icing goes on top. A pretty, opaque drizzle just running down the sides. This is really doing a different job to the syrup. The syrup’s role is moisture and flavour deep into the crumb. The icing is there for that final intense hit of sweet-sharp lemon on the first bite.

Lemon icing being drizzled over lemon drizzle cake

A few things make the difference between a good lemon drizzle and a truly great one:

Use real lemon juice and zest, not extract. The zest carries most of the flavour, so don’t skimp on it. It’s what gives the crumb that proper citrus punch rather than a vague sweetness.
Pour the syrup while the cake is hot, not warm. A hot sponge has more absorption. The syrup will soak in evenly rather than pooling on the surface.
Let the cake cool completely before icing. The syrup needs time to fully absorb. A warm cake will simply melt the icing straight off rather than letting it set into that neat, opaque drizzle.
Keep the icing fairly thick. A stiffer icing sugar and lemon juice mix holds its shape better as it runs down the sides. This gives you those defined ribbons rather than a thin, translucent wash.

Lemon drizzle loaf cake on a pretty vintage serving plate on a table set for afternoon tea with vintage teapot and cups and saucers with tea and lemon slices

You Will Need:

Good digital scales are the best option for all baking to get the very best results but any scales are fine

To make this delicious loaf cake you will need a 1lb (500g) loaf tin . I love the Tala range of baking equipment. Investing in a good quality tin will give you consistent results with even rising and will last for many years.

You can of course make this cake by hand with a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to cream the mixture but a hand-held electric food mixer makes the process much quicker and easier.

The tin will of course need to be lined on the base with baking parchment, a loaf tin liner or a silicone liner

A good spatula will make sure all of you lovely cake mixture makes it into the tin for baking

The Recipe

Easy Old Fashioned Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake

A lovely light buttery sponge cake soaked with a sharp-yet-sweet lemon syrup and drizzled with a sharp lemon icing for maximum lemony flavour

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 10 Slices

Equipment

Scales
1lb Loaf Tin
Baking Parchment or alternative – for lining the tin
Spatula
Mixing Bowl
Wooden spoon OR
Electric Hand Mixer

Ingredients

2 Large Free Range Eggs weigh the eggs in their shells to get the weight of the butter, sugar & flour
Butter or Baking Spread – same weight as the eggs
Caster Sugar – same weight as the eggs
Self Raising Flour – same weight as the eggs
1 tsp Baking Powder – add to the flour
2 Large Lemons – zest only for the cake, juice for syrup
2 tbsp Caster Sugar
For The Icing
1 Large Lemon – zest & juice
4 tbsp Icing Sugar – we like to use fondant icing sugar but plain old icing sugar is fine

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 160℃ Fan / 180℃ / 350F / Gas 4
Grease and line your loaf tin and put to one side
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they are pale, light and fluffy using you electric hand mixer or a wooden spoon.
Butter or Baking Spread, Caster Sugar
Break the eggs into a small jug or bowl and whisk lightly.
2 Large Free Range Eggs
Add the beaten egg just a little at a time to the mixture and beat well between additions.
If the mixture looks like it's curdling (it will look like it's lumpy and separating after beating in the egg) add a spoonful of the flour to stabilise.
When all of the egg has been incorporated, add in the lemon zest then sift over the flour and very gently fold it into the mixture. Use a spatula or large metal spoon and use slow and gentle movements, don't beat or whisk as we want to retain as much air in the mixture as possible.
2 Large Lemons, Self Raising Flour
Spoon you mixture into the tin using your spatula and gently smooth the top.
Bake in the centre of the oven for around 50 minutes – 1 hour until beautifully golden and cooked through. Test for doneness with a skewer inserted in the middle. It should be clean with just maybe a crumb or two sticking to the skewer but not any raw mix. If it's not done bake for another 5 minutes and test again.
While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. Place the caster sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2 tbsp Caster Sugar, 2 Large Lemons
When the cake is done, spoon the hot syrup over the hot cake and leave in the tin until cold.
When cold, remove the cake from the tin, remove the lining paper and place on a cooling rack.
Make the icing by combining the icing sugar with the zest and juice of the lemon. Add the lemon juice a little at a time until you have a thick icing. If there isn't enough lemon juice add a few drops of water.
1 Large Lemon, 4 tbsp Icing Sugar
Drizzle the icing onto the cake with a spoon in a side-to-side motion. Leave to set then serve with a lovely cup of tea.

Keyword cake

Serving and Storing

This is very much a cake for cutting into generous slices and serving alongside a proper pot of tea served with a splash of milk or a slice of lemon.

Stored in an airtight tin, it keeps beautifully for up to five days, the crumb staying soft and the topping holding its crackle. It also freezes well (without the icing), either whole or in slices, making it a sensible thing to have tucked away for unexpected visitors — or for a quiet Tuesday afternoon that needs a little brightening.