Easy Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake

5 from 7 votes

Simply the best and easiest Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake! Just five ingredients whisked together in one bowl and you can create a beautifully moist, buttery, tangy lemon cake with the softest crumb.

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Afternoon Tea, Breads & Loaf Cakes

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake, Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe

Servings: slices

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

226 g (1 cup) softened unsalted butter or margarine
300 g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
260 g (2 cups) self raising flour
4 medium eggs (large eggs in the US)
2 lemons , zested and juiced

FOR THE DRIZZLE

100 g ( ½ cup) granulated sugar , plus extra if needed
remaining lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°F (320°F) Fan Setting. Line a 2 pound / 900g loaf tin with parchment paper letting the ends of the paper hang over the edge of the tin. Alternatively use a loaf tin liner.
Put all the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Beat together on low speed to start with then increase the speed once the ingredients have combined. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and keep mixing, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a smooth batter.
226 g (1 cup) softened unsalted butter , 300 g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar , 260 g (2 cups) self raising flour, 4 medium eggs, 2 lemons
Spoon the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and level. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake is golden, well risen and springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Prick holes over the entire cake. Mix together the remaining lemon juice and sugar and drizzle over the warm cake (still in the tin) until it soaks in. Sprinkle with some extra sugar before the syrup dries (unless you want to add a glaze).
100 g ( ½ cup) granulated sugar, remaining lemon juice
Use the paper to lift the cake out of the tin and leave it to cool on a wire rack (this is the hardest part of the recipe) before slicing.
You can leave your lemon loaf as is or decorate with lemon slices, lemon zest or edible flowers.

Video

Notes

Use softened unsalted butter or Stork (margarine). The butter should be soft enough for your finger to leave an imprint if prodded.
Remaining ingredients, namely the eggs, also need to be room temperature.
Use a microplane to zest the lemons – I have specified the zest of two but you can add even more zest if you like!
Make sure the self raising flour is fresh.
Check the cake five minutes before the baking time indicated in the recipe. Some ovens run hot, others are not hot enough.
If you want to add a simple glaze, mix icing sugar (powdered) and lemon juice until you have a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cool cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Nutrition