5 from 54 votes

A lemon drizzle loaf cake with icing and lemon zest on top sits on parchment paper, embodying the perfect recipe. Slices of lemon surround the cake. Nearby are a pitcher, two forks, plates, and a whole lemon on a marble surface.

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This past week has been a crazy one. My hands are literally blistered from baking, and my body is now running on empty. What I need right about now is a decent cup of tea and a delicious pick-me-up, like a slice of Granny’s Lemon Drizzle cake!

For those of you who aren’t following Baking it Granny on social media (Facebook & Instagram), you may have missed that this weekend I was demoing at the Foodies Festival in Edinburgh. It was a fantastic weekend filled with baking and tons of amazing food. It was lovely getting to chat with people about all the things their Granny’s used to bake too.

Today, though, it is back to reality. I had hoped to have Granny’s Lemon Drizzle Cake up before now, but I found myself drowning in Tiffin as I prepared for the Foodies Festival. That didn’t stop me from enjoying a slice or two of this Lemon Drizzle (which I’d thankfully baked the week before) to keep me powering through the endless prep.

Like any good Lemon Drizzle, this moist little loaf is bursting with flavour and topped with a zesty icing glaze, which holds a little crunch. Best of all, you literally bung it all in a bowl, mix it, bake it, finish it with some syrup & icing, and you’re done! And with Granny’s tried and tested methods, we guarantee there won’t be a dry-tasting slice in the house!

Slices of lemon drizzle cake topped with icing and lemon zest are neatly arranged on a white marble surface. A juicy wedge is placed in the foreground, amplifying the cakes citrus theme.

I URGE you to try this recipe!
OH MY GOD!!!!!! I URGE you to try this recipe exactly as it is written, it’s sooo easy – all in one bowl and the result is honestly the best lemon drizzle I’ve ever eaten (I’m usually modest about my baking but I’m telling everyone!). Took it out after exactly 45 mins and it’s sooo moist and lemony. Wow!
– Niki

Slices of lemon drizzle loaf cake with icing and zest are served on a white plate. Two lemon wedges accompany the plate, while a fork rests on the marble surface nearby.

A stack of four slices of lemon drizzle loaf with white icing sits on a marble surface. The icing glistens, and small bits of lemon zest are visible on top, adding texture and colour to the golden-brown cake.

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Lemon Drizzle Cake

Name: Lemon Drizzle Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 170 g Self-raising Flour; 115 g Butter or Margarine (softened); 170 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar); 2 Free-range Eggs; 5 tbsp Milk; 1 Lemon; 85 g Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar)

The very best lemon drizzle cake you have ever tasted! Deliciously moist, zingy in flavour, with the perfect drizzle glaze on top.

Author: Amy Reid

5 from 54 votes

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, British

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Servings:

INGREDIENTS

Metric (UK) | Cups (US)

170 g Self-raising Flour
115 g Butter or Margarine (softened)
170 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
2 Free-range Eggs
5 tbsp Milk
1 Lemon
85 g Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar)

EQUIPMENT

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan-assisted ovens or Gas Mark 4) and line a 2lb loaf tin with some greaseproof paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour over the butter, caster sugar, eggs, milk and zest of your lemon. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined and smooth.
Transfer to your pre-lined tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before poking the top of your cake all over with a skewer.
In a small bowl, mix half the icing sugar with the juice of your lemon to create a syrup-like icing, and spoon half of the syrup all over the cake.
Add the other half of the icing sugar to the remaining syrup to create a thin icing. Spoon over the top whilst the cake is still warm to finish with an icing glaze.
If desired, top with a little extra lemon zest.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.

NOTES

Lemon Drizzle should be stored in an airtight container and will keep for about 1 week.
You can freeze Lemon Drizzle Loaf, either as a complete loaf, or in slices. Tightly wrap your lemon drizzle cake in cling film, then again in tin foil. To defrost, remove from the freezer and allow to warm to room temperature before eating. Do not re-freeze once defrosted, and do not leave it in your freezer for more than 3 months to avoid freezer-burn.

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How do you make Lemon Drizzle Cake?

To make Lemon Drizzle Cake, you start by creaming the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time. Add the flour and lemon zest before baking in a loaf tin until golden and springy.

Whilst still warm, poke some holes across the cake and pour over the drizzle icing made from freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar, and let it soak in for a beautifully moist, zesty finish.

How to make lemon drizzle icing?

Lemon drizzle icing is so incredibly easy to make, and really does make lemon drizzle loaf cake what it is. All you need is some lemon juice and icing sugar.

You start by making a syrup-like icing to drench your lemon drizzle sponge cake. You then add a bit more sugar to the syrup to create a thicker icing to top your cake with, and give it that lovely glazed top.