Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (2024)

Jump to Recipe →

This post may contain affiliate links.

This easy Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe works every time. It’s a fail-safe classic bake that you can whip up time and time again.

It’s a solid, easy-to-follow cake recipe that’s so delicious, is made in one bowl, is ready in under an hour and produces impressive, solid results – even for beginners!

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (1)

This recipe for Lemon Drizzle Cake is, without doubt, one of our favourite bakes of all time. It’s a flavour that tops polls over and over again, and it always goes down a treat in every situation where cake is called for (I mean… every day?!)

I find this to be the very BEST Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe because it just works every time. It’s super zesty, lovely and moist (sorry to use that word but this calls for it), and to top it all, you can whip it up in one bowl in about 5 minutes. What’s not to love?

Why you’ll love this Lemon Drizzle Cake

⭐️ Quick and easy

⭐️ A failsafe, simple method

⭐️ Zingy and zesty to brighten your day!

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (2)

About this Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe

Even though I say that this is the easiest and bulletproof Lemon Drizzle recipe, I know you’ll still have questions, especially if you’re not an accomplished baker.

So this post will give you the answers on a plate (boom boom) so you not only get the results you want, but you actually enjoy the process too.

After all, cake is to be enjoyed, and baking can be a delight when you have a little confidence. The eating isn’t so bad either!

What do I mean by a ‘one bowl recipe’? Quite simply, you mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl before pouring it all into a loaf tin and putting it in the oven to bake.

What you’ll need for making Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (3)
  • Unsalted butter – Some for the cake, some for greasing the tin. If you only have salted, that’s fine.
  • Caster sugar – Golden caster sugar works well if you have it.
  • Eggs – I use free range. If you want to be exact, they should weigh about 250g in total (weigh in shells).
  • Self-raising flour

How to make Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (4)

1. Preheat your oven to 160C, grease your loaf tin and line it, then put all your cake ingredients into a bowl.

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (5)

2. Beat the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (6)

3. Spoon the mixture into your loaf tin and smooth out. Bake as per the recipe below until a skewer comes out clean.

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (7)

4. Once baked, skewer some holes in your cake, make up the drizzle with icing sugar and lemon juice, then pour over your cake.

Hint: Don’t take your cake completely out of the oven when checking to see if your cake is cooked. If it’s not, it could sink. Instead, slide out on the shelf and put straight back in if needed.

More loaf cakes

If you’d like to try your hand at some other easy loaf cake recipes, you could try my Nutella Cake, Pumpkin Cake, Mini Pumpkin Bread Loaves or my Banana Cake (with chocolate chips). Or visit my cake page for other ideas.

All are tried and tested for ultimately deliciousness and simplicity!

How to store Lemon Drizzle Cake

Store the cake in an airtight tin or container for up to 5 days. Don’t store it in the fridge or it will become quite hard.

Freezer You can freeze this cake for another day! Make sure you wrap it in a couple of layers of greaseproof paper for the freezer and defrost it at room temperature before eating.

Top tips for making Lemon Drizzle Cake

How to know it’s cooked

First, check the cake isn’t still wobbly when you move it. If it is, put it straight back in the oven. If not, push a skewer or sharp, thin knife into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it means it’s cooked. (Some crumbs are fine, but not wet cake mixture.)

When checking your cake, just slide it out on the oven shelf rather than taking it all the way out. This is so if it’s not quite done, you can push it back in quickly before it sinks.

How to zest the lemons

The best way to zest lemons is to invest in a great zester. It will change your cake-making life! I like this Microplane Zester, which I’ve had for years and it makes the job SO easy.

What tin to use

I like to make my Lemon Drizzle Cake in a loaf tin. The sizes of these can be a bit confusing, but mine is technically a 1 lb tin. This one is the perfect size: Masterclass 1 lb Loaf Tin.

How to stop the cake from sticking

Rub softened butter all around the tin and then line it with baking paper. Be sure it’s baking paper or baking parchment, NOT greaseproof paper. They are different!

FAQ

Why has my Lemon Drizzle Cake sunk?

The most common reason for a Lemon Drizzle Cake sinking in the middle is when the oven door has been opened before the cake was set.

Be sure not to open the door before 40 minutes, and even then, do it by opening the oven door and checking it as quickly as possible!

Can I make this a gluten-free Lemon Drizzle Cake?

Yes. Just replace the flour with gluten-free self-raising flour. It may sink a little more in the middle, but it will still taste fantastic.

Can I make this a dairy-free Lemon Drizzle Cake?

You sure can. Just replace the butter with your normal favourite dairy-free baking spread.

Can I add extra icing to the Lemon Drizzle?

Yes! Make the drizzle topping with the lemon juice and then use the same amount of icing sugar again, but with less juice to make a thicker icing to go on top. Double decker ceiling for the WIN.

Can you tell me the measurements in cups please?

No, sorry! Baking relies on very specific quantities to be successful and if you use cups (which measure in volume) there’s such a big room for error, and you’d be making life so much harder for yourself as a baker.

The best thing to do is invest in a set of digital scales and see your baking succeed every time (there are lots of low cost versions out there).

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (8)

SavePinPrint

5 from 376 votes

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest Ever Recipe!}

By Sarah Rossi

This Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe is a fail-safe method that works every time without fuss or fanfare. It’s a classic bake and tastes simply delicious.

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 Slices

Ingredients

Cake ingredients:

  • 250 g Unsalted butter, Plus extra for greasing your tin. See rotes.
  • 250 g Caster sugar, See notes.
  • 4 Eggs , Medium. See notes.
  • 250 g Self-raising flour
  • 3 Lemons, Zest only. (Reserve the zested fruit for the juice for the drizzle.) See notes.

For the drizzle:

  • 100 g Icing sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 160C and grease your loaf tin and line it with baking paper.

  • Put all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat until smooth.

  • Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth out. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the drizzle:

  • While the cake is still warm in the tin, use a skewer or thin sharp knife to poke holes all over it.

  • Mix the icing sugar with enough of the juice of the lemons to make a thin paste. Add the liquid gradually so it stays nice and smooth. (This is normally 1-and-a-half lemons, but will depend on how big and juicy they were!)

  • Pour all over the cake and allow to sink in.

Notes

Butter:I like to use unsalted butter for baking as it is flavourless. If you only have salted it will be fine though. It’s not vital.

Caster sugar:Golden caster sugar works well here if you have it.

Eggs:Free range please! If you want to be exact and ensure success, weigh them in their shells and they should total about 250g.

Lemons:If you can buy unwaxed lemons, these are best as you will be eating the zest.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 6gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 727IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Family Food

Like this? Leave a comment and rating below!Mention @myusername or tag #myhashtag!

Categorized as:
Bake Sale Makes, Cakes, Recipes, Sweet Things

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (9)

new cookbook!

Featuring 100 delicious recipes that can be cooked in one pot, you can open any page in this book and find something that will give you not only a meal that the whole family will eat and enjoy, but also one that makes your life a little simpler in the process.

More Recipes

One Pot

One Pot

Meatball Orzo Bake {One Pot}

One Pot Pasta

Marry Me Chicken Orzo {One Pot Recipe}

Under 30 minutes

Cheeseburger Pasta {One Pot Recipe}

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (14)

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

More About Me

Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest EVER Recipe!} (2024)

FAQs

What is a secret ingredient for cakes? ›

When it comes to creating moist and delicious cakes, sometimes the secret ingredient is something unexpected. In this case, it's applesauce. Not only does applesauce add moisture to your cake, but it also serves as a healthier alternative to high-fat ingredients.

What is lemon drizzle cake made from? ›

Simply put the eggs, flour, butter, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest into a food processor and blitz until combined into cake batter. Pour into the prepared tin and then bake for 30 -35 mins until a skewer comes out clean and it' bounces back to your touch.

How do you increase the flavor of lemon in a cake? ›

Combine lemon zest with oil or butter

Rub the lemon into the sugar, then add your cooking fat, like butter or oil. The tangy zest will infuse the whole batter, elevating the tart flavor of your dessert. For a shortcut, you can use lemon-infused olive oil.

Why has my lemon drizzle cake sunk? ›

5. My cake has sunk in the middle. There are three main reasons for this: a/ the oven door has been opened before the cake has set, b/ the cake didn't go in the oven as soon as the mixture was ready or c/ there's too much raising agent.

What is the main ingredient that makes a cake moist? ›

USE VEGETABLE OIL

While butter undoubtedly imparts excellent flavor, vegetable oil can really elevate a cake when it comes to moisture. Replacing butter with vegetable oil in your cake recipes typically yields moist results.

Which 2 ingredients help the cake to rise? ›

Baking powder and baking soda are common leavening agents, which means they help baked goods rise during their cooking time. If you do not have enough of these ingredients in your recipe, then they will not emit enough gas and your cake will not rise.

What is Elvis Presley cake? ›

An Elvis Presley cake is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze. Much like a poke cake, the syrup and juices of the pineapple will seep into the cake through fork holes, resulting in a decadent, ultra-moist cake.

Why has my lemon drizzle cake cracked? ›

The oven temperature is too high. If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome. Check your oven with an oven thermometer and reduce the temperature accordingly if it is running hot.

Why doesn't my lemon cake taste like lemon? ›

Lemon flavor: Let's all say it together: LEMON JUICE DOESN'T ADD LEMON FLAVOR (when added to the cake). Instead, try adding more zest, lemon extract, or a lemon soak.

Why does my lemon cake taste bitter? ›

If you purposely or accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder without making any changes to your recipe, you'll definitely end up with a bitter taste. Remember, baking soda is an alkaline, or base, ingredient that naturally has a bitter taste. Baking powder is a multi-ingredient leavener.

What happens if you put too much lemon juice in a cake? ›

Cutting too much lemon for a recipe can result in a dish that is excessively sour or acidic. This can overpower the other flavors and make the dish unbalanced. It is important to use the right amount of lemon to ensure the desired taste and to avoid ruining the dish.

Why is there a hole in my lemon drizzle cake? ›

A cake will only get a hole/crater in it if the batter was over mixed, it was put in when the oven was too hot or opened repeatedly. Bake your cake in a Bundt pan. Bundt pans are designed to heat more evenly so you don't get the accidental hole.

Why is my lemon drizzle cake wet in the middle? ›

If your cake has a soggy middle, the first thing to try is bringing the temperature down a little and baking for slightly longer. I'd suggest reducing the temperature by 20 degrees and increasing the baking time for 7 minutes.

What is the most important ingredient in a cake? ›

Flour is perhaps the most important ingredient in a cake mix, as it creates the basic structure of the entire cake. A major component of flour is gluten, which is a protein that provides a way for the cake to bind to itself.

What adds richness to cakes? ›

The milk adds fat, which results in a better flavor and density in your cake. If you want to make your cake extra rich, swap out the milk for buttermilk. Because buttermilk is extra thick, use a few more tablespoons than the recipe calls for.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Last Updated:

Views: 6405

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Birthday: 1993-01-10

Address: Suite 391 6963 Ullrich Shore, Bellefort, WI 01350-7893

Phone: +6806610432415

Job: Dynamic Manufacturing Assistant

Hobby: amateur radio, Taekwondo, Wood carving, Parkour, Skateboarding, Running, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.