Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe: Perfectly Moist and Zesty
I love a good lemon drizzle cake, but this easy lemon drizzle cake recipe? It’s on another level. Zesty, moist, and with just the right balance of sweetness and tang. It’s the type of cake that makes you stop after every bite. Be warned—after trying this irresistible lemon drizzle cake, all other recipes will pale in comparison!
What makes this easy lemon drizzle cake recipe even more special is that it’s made with my homemade butter. I get great satisfaction from churning my own butter and using the fresh, creamy butter and buttermilk to bake. And of course, the eggs come fresh from our very own hens, ensuring the cake is Fresh and wholesome. If you’ve ever wondered what you can make from your own butter, this recipe provides an excellent example. It is delicious and completely homemade from start to finish.
Don’t worry if you don’t have homemade butter, buttermilk, or farm-fresh eggs. This lemon drizzle cake is still absolutely delicious with store-bought ingredients! The recipe is designed to be easy and adaptable. You’ll still create a moist, zesty cake. The cake will be irresistible whether you’re using shop-bought butter, regular milk, or eggs from the supermarket. The combination of the lemony drizzle and tender sponge works magic, no matter where your ingredients come from. This cake will be a crowd-pleaser every time!
I love this easy lemon drizzle cake recipe so much, I use it as my main cake recipe. I swap the lemon zest for a splash of vanilla extract. This gives you the perfect base for a classic Victoria sponge. I also adapt this recipe to make a delicious coffee and walnut cake. I add a shot of espresso and chopped walnuts to the batter. With a few simple tweaks, this easy recipe can change to create different cakes to suit any occasion!
This recipe comes from my good friend Jo, who originally found it in a charity recipe booklet. Of course, I’ve made a few tweaks along the way—Jo often jokes that I can’t leave a recipe alone. Jo and I are always chatting about food and recipes, and we share a mutual love for sourdough. She’s been an incredible supporter of my blog, constantly inspiring and encouraging me to keep going. I’m so lucky to have her as both a friend and a source of culinary inspiration.
Contents
Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 175 g butter (homemade or store-bought)
- 255 g caster sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 255 g self-raising flour
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 90 ml buttermilk or semi-skimmed milk
For the drizzle:
- 50 ml lemon juice
- 200 g icing sugar
Method and Tips to Achieve Lemon Drizzle Perfection
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 175°C fan / 200°C / Gas Mark 6.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. I recommend using an electric mixer for at least five minutes. You can’t over-beat, but you can under-beat!
- Quickly whisk in one egg at a time. Whisk on high speed until each egg is just combined. Unlike with the butter and sugar, it’s best not to over-beat the eggs.
- Use a metal spoon to fold in the flour, half at a time. Use large, bold actions to avoid over-mixing the flour. Fold until just combined.
- Fold in the milk and lemon zest.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin. Bake it on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 45 – 60 minutes. Check if it is done by inserting a skewer into the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, it is baked. If the cake is a little wobbly when you go to test it, don’t prick it with a skewer. Instead, give it a little longer in the oven.
- Mix the lemon juice with the icing sugar until smooth.
- Once the cake is out of the tin and placed on a cooling rack, and drizzle with the icing.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container—it’s good for up to 3 days.
Tip: For a sugar crust topping, mix 50 ml of lemon juice with 150 g of icing sugar. Then, coat the top of the cake.
Now I have shared my secret easy lemon drizzle cake recipe. All I ask in return is you try this incredible recipe. Please shout about it! Use the rating and comments section below to let me know how much you love it. Share it with your friends and family on social media. Please like, comment and tag me @TheDelectableGarden on Instagram and @TDG.co.uk on Facebook.
Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe: Perfectly Moist and Zesty
Equipment
- 1 2 lb loaf tin lined with baking paper
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 175 g butter (homemade or store-bought)
- 225 g caster sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 225 g self-raising flour
- zest of 2 lemons
- 90 ml buttermilk or semi-skimmed milk
For the Lemon Drizzle
- 50 ml fresh lemon juice
- 200 g icing sugar
Instructions
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 175°C fan / 200°C / Gas Mark 6. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. I recommend using an electric mixer for at least five minutes. You can’t over-beat, but you can under-beat!
- Quickly whisk in one egg at a time. Whisk on high speed until each egg is just combined. Unlike with the butter and sugar, it’s best not to over-beat the eggs.
- Use a metal spoon to fold in the flour, half at a time. Use large, bold actions to avoid over-mixing the flour. Fold until just combined.
- Fold in the milk and lemon zest.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If the cake is a little wobbly when you go to test it, don’t prick it with a skewer—just give it a little longer in the oven.
- Mix the lemon juice with the icing sugar until smooth.
- Once the cake is out of the tin and placed on a cooling rack, and drizzle with the icing.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container—it’s good for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Happy Baking!
Lee 🍋
