Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Printable Format)

A moist loaf bursting with fresh lemon flavor and tangy drizzle, ideal for light springtime enjoyment.

# What's Needed:

→ 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 Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest until fully combined.
04 - Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter.
05 - Mix in the milk and lemon juice until the batter is smooth and uniform.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon drizzle by mixing icing sugar and lemon juice to a pourable consistency.
09 - Remove the baked loaf from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. While still warm, poke holes all over the top using a skewer and slowly drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.
10 - Allow to cool completely in the tin before turning out and slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor is bold enough to feel special but never tastes artificial or one-note.
  • It comes together in under an hour from start to finish, which means you can actually bake this on a Tuesday.
  • The glaze soaks into the warm cake and creates those pockets of intense flavor that make people ask for seconds before they've finished their first slice.
02 -
  • The glaze must go on while the cake is still warm, or it won't soak in properly and you'll just have a thin, hard coating instead of pockets of flavor.
  • Don't open the oven door constantly to check on the cake—every time you do, the temperature drops and the baking time extends, which can throw off the timing.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before you juice them—once you cut into a lemon, the zest is harder to grate cleanly.
  • If you're making this ahead, bake it the day before but don't drizzle until an hour before serving so the glaze stays glossy and doesn't dry out.
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