Lemon Drizzle Cake may well be the most delicious bake EVER! A fluffy, moist and buttery sponge soaked with tangy lemon syrup and a crunchy sugar crust. This lemon cake is sure to become a favourite – easy and foolproof even for novice bakers! Make sure all your cake ingredients are at room temperature before starting this recipe.
200g| 7oz | 7/8 cup unsalted buttercubed (room temperature)
3large eggslightly beaten
180ml| 7fl oz | 3/4 cup whole milk
2tbsplemon juice
3lemons zest only
For the drizzle
2lemons, juice only
175g| 6oz granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Spray a 23cm (9 in) springform cake tin with cake release or grease with softened butter and dust with flour shaking out any excess. Line the bottom of the tin with baking paper.
Put the flour and sugar in large bowl. Add the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix together using a balloon whisk.
Add the lemon zest and mix to combine.
Add the softened butter. Use a hand mixer and start beating on lowest speed setting until you have a crumbly texture.
Add the eggs and beat until combined.
Gradually add the milk and lemon juice, beating on low speed.
Increase the speed to maximum once the liquids have been incorporated. Beat for a minute then stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat again until the batter is completely smooth.
Transfer the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. If the cake is colouring too rapidly then tent with foil after 25 minutes (but avoid keeping the oven door open for long). Do not place the foil directly onto the cake tin, make sure it is has a gap at the top to allow the cake space to rise properly.
Check the cake is done by inserting a skewer in the centre - it should come out clean, the cake should be well risen golden and springy to the touch.
While the cake is cooling for a few minutes (in the tin!), combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is partially dissolved.
Use a skewer to poke holes over the whole cake then pour the syrup over the top. It should soon soak into the cake.
Run a knife along the edge of the tin and transfer onto a cake plate. Leave to cool before slicing and serving.
ALL IN ONE METHOD
Make ure all ingredients are at room temperature. Add all the ingredients in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
Beat until the batter is completely smooth and free of lumps. Make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides at least once.
Video
Notes
Tips for the perfect lemon drizzle cake
This cake is so easy that even novice bakers will find it a doddle to make. Even so there’s a few things you need to know to achieve lemony perfection!
Start with room temperature ingredients.
Unless specified otherwise all your ingredients including butter eggs and milk should be at room temperature in order to achieve a smooth batter. If one or more of the ingredients are cold they will cause your batter to split or look curdled.
If your milk is cold from the fridge then heat briefly in the microwave or saucepan until just tepid. Make sure the milk is body temperature - not too hot!
Place cold eggs into warm water for five minutes to bring them back to room temperature.
Cut cold butter into cubes and leave for an hour on your counter to warm up.
You can also use margarine or Stork to make this cake or half butter half margarine. I prefer the the taste of real butter but go with what works for you. Never substitute with light / reduced fat products unless the recipe explicitly says you can!
Prepare your cake pans
To prevent your cakes sticking to the pans, properly grease the cake tin with a little softened butter and then sprinkle with flour shaking out any excess. I prefer to use a cake release spray for most of my baking.
For this lemon cake you can use a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin, a loose bottomed tin or a regular cake tin. If you use the latter make sure to be very careful when turning out the cake as the top will be moist from the syrup.
Run a knife around the edge of the tin and invert the cake carefully onto a plate. Peel off the baking paper which was lining the tin. Immediately turn it over the right way around onto a stand or cake plate.
How do I know if my cake is done?
Oven temperatures can vary so set a timer for 5 minutes before the specified time. The cake is done when the top is springy to the touch, the cake has just started to pull away from the edge of the tin and a skewer or toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Avoid opening the oven too often – or too early! - to check if the cake is done or your oven will start losing heat.