Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Printable Version)

Moist loaf infused with fresh lemon zest and topped with a tangy drizzle for a bright, flavorful springtime bake.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 7 oz unsalted butter, softened
02 - 7 oz caster sugar
03 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest from 2 lemons
05 - 7 oz self-raising flour
06 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
07 - 1/4 tsp salt
08 - 3 tbsp whole milk
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Lemon Drizzle

10 - 2.8 oz icing sugar
11 - 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

# How-To Steps:

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.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest.
04 - Sift self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture. Fold gently until just combined.
05 - Mix in milk and lemon juice until batter is smooth.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - While cake bakes, mix icing sugar and lemon juice to a pourable consistency.
09 - Remove baked loaf from oven and cool in tin for 10 minutes. While warm, poke holes over the top with a skewer and slowly drizzle lemon glaze.
10 - Allow to cool completely in tin before turning out and slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, so you can have warm cake with tea before the afternoon is done.
  • That moment when the warm glaze soaks into the hot cake is pure magic—the crumb stays moist for days afterward.
  • You probably have everything already in your cupboard, which means zero excuses to bake it tonight.
02 -
  • If you skip poking the holes or drizzle onto a completely cold cake, the glaze just sits on top instead of soaking in—that warm cake step is non-negotiable.
  • The difference between a dense loaf and a tender one often comes down to not overmixing after the flour goes in; fold, don't beat.
03 -
  • Microplane zesters give you the finest, most flavorful lemon zest without the bitter white pith—it's a small tool that genuinely changes the outcome.
  • The secret to keeping this cake moist is getting that warm glaze into warm cake; timing here is everything.
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