Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Printable Version)

Moist loaf with fresh lemon flavor and tangy glaze, ideal for bright springtime moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the 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

→ For the Lemon Drizzle

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

# How to Prepare:

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, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest until evenly distributed.
04 - Sift self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt together. Fold gently into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Mix in milk and lemon juice until the batter achieves a smooth, pourable consistency.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula to ensure even baking.
07 - Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - While cake bakes, combine icing sugar and lemon juice, whisking to achieve a pourable glaze consistency.
09 - Remove loaf from oven and cool in tin for 10 minutes. Using a skewer, pierce holes across the top surface and slowly drizzle glaze over warm cake.
10 - Allow cake to cool completely in tin before turning out and slicing into 8 portions.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The batter comes together in under 20 minutes, so you can have cake cooling while you're still thinking about breakfast.
  • That glaze trick—poking holes while warm and pouring it in—creates little bursts of intense lemon that feel like a secret the first time you taste it.
  • It's moist and tender without being heavy, which means you can actually eat a slice without feeling guilty.
02 -
  • The glaze must go on while the cake is still warm, or it'll sit on top like paint instead of soaking in—I learned this the hard way and ended up with a cake that looked pretty but didn't have that signature tang layered through it.
  • Room temperature eggs are not optional; cold ones won't emulsify properly and your batter will look broken and separated, leading to a dense, heavy cake.
03 -
  • If you don't have a loaf tin, this recipe works beautifully in a round cake tin—just reduce the baking time by 5 minutes and check it earlier.
  • Store leftover cake wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to three days, and it'll actually taste better on day two once the glaze has fully settled in and the flavors have melded.
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