Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (Printable)

A moist loaf bursting with fresh lemon flavor, finished with a tangy lemon glaze for spring.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cake

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

→ Lemon Drizzle

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2 lb 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 overmix.
05 - Mix in the milk and lemon juice until the batter is smooth and well incorporated.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
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 leave 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 Hints:

01 -
  • It's the kind of cake that makes your kitchen smell absolutely incredible for hours afterward, and guests always ask what you're baking before they even see it.
  • The lemon drizzle soaks into the warm cake creating pockets of tangy sweetness that keep people coming back for seconds.
  • Prep and bake time is genuinely under an hour, so you can serve something homemade and impressive without the stress.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter after you add the flour is the fastest way to end up with a dense, tough cake—fold gently and stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear.
  • The glaze works best on a still-warm cake because it soaks in and distributes evenly, but if you miss that window, you can reheat the cake briefly in a low oven for a couple of minutes first.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients really do make a difference—they blend more smoothly and trap air better, resulting in a lighter, more tender crumb.
  • If your kitchen is warm, unwrap the butter and eggs ahead of time and let them sit out for 30 minutes before you start mixing, and don't skip sifting the flour because it aerates it and prevents lumps.
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