Lemon Drizzle Cake (Loaf Cake with Crunchy Glaze)
In short: A soft, buttery lemon loaf soaked in tart syrup while hot, with a crackly sugar crust. A mix-in-one-bowl teatime favorite. It takes about 1 h 10 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 330 kcal
Lemon drizzle cake is a British teatime staple: a soft, buttery loaf scented with lemon zest, then soaked while still hot in a tart lemon syrup. The sugar in the topping does not fully dissolve, so it dries into a thin, crackly crust over the moist crumb. It is quick to mix in one bowl, keeps for days and tastes even better on the second day, which makes it a dependable cake for visitors.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin, about 21 x 11 cm (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches).
- Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each to stop the mixture curdling.
- Fold in the rest of the flour, the baking powder and the milk to make a soft batter that drops easily from the spoon. Spoon it into the tin and level the top.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden, risen and a skewer comes out clean.
- While the cake is still hot in the tin, prick it all over with a skewer. Stir the lemon juice and granulated sugar together briefly, just to combine, so the sugar stays mostly undissolved. Spoon it slowly over the top so the juice soaks into the holes and the sugar stays on the surface.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin so the topping sets into a crisp crust, then lift it out and slice.
Tips
- Pour the drizzle over while the cake is still hot so it soaks in. Granulated sugar, not powdered, gives the crunchy top.
- For a stronger lemon flavor, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers before creaming. The cake keeps for 4 days in a tin and is best on day two.
Questions and answers
Why does lemon drizzle cake have a crunchy top?
The lemon juice and granulated sugar do not fully dissolve, so as the drizzle dries it forms a thin, sugary crust over the soft cake.
Can I make lemon drizzle cake in a round tin?
Yes. Use a 20 cm (8 inch) round tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Can I freeze lemon drizzle cake?
Yes. Freeze the cooled, drizzled cake whole or in slices for up to 3 months and defrost it at room temperature.
How long does it take to make Lemon Drizzle Cake (Loaf Cake with Crunchy Glaze)?
About 1 h 10 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Lemon Drizzle Cake (Loaf Cake with Crunchy Glaze)?
About 330 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 42 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 330 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
