LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Lemon drizzle cake has its roots firmly planted in British baking traditions. This zesty treat became a staple in the UK’s teatime repertoire, especially loved for its bright citrus tang and moist crumb. It’s popular across the UK and Australia, often seen at bake sales, family gatherings, and afternoon teas.
What makes lemon drizzle cake a winner in the kitchen is its simplicity. With just a handful of basic ingredients. Flour, sugar, butter (or extra virgin olive oil like mine), eggs, lemons, and a bit of baking powder, this cake comes together quickly and effortlessly. The secret lies in the drizzle: a simple lemon juice and sugar syrup poured over the warm cake, which soaks in and adds a punch of fresh, tangy sweetness.
Perfect for beginners or anyone after a fuss free dessert, lemon drizzle cake balances tart and sweet, silky and crumbly, making it a crowd pleaser every single time. Plus I reckon mine, with the addition of extra virgin olive oil makes this moister than even I though possible. Holds itself structure wise before melting in your mouth when it hits your lips.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, don’t fret, whisk together the fats and sugar to cream, before following the recipe just the same.
LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
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LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE 〰️
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Serves: 8 slices
First weigh the eggs to match the butter, caster sugar and flour to the same weight in grams. For this recipe the eggs, once cracked, weighed 223gm so the ingredients will follow that weight.
Cake
223gm caster sugar
2 lemon, zest
223gm unsalted butter (cube & softened) & extra virgin olive oil (I do half and half)
4 eggs
1 table spoon vanilla essence
223gm plain flour
2 tea spoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
Lemon Syrup
100gm caster sugar
1 lemon, juice
1 table spoon gin (optional)
Lemon Glaze
200gm powdered confectioner sugar
2 table spoon lemon juice
1 table spoon boiling water
Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius, fan forced
Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Start with the cake, in a large stand mixer bowl add in caster sugar and the zest of 2 lemons and using your fingers, rub every together to help release the zest oils. Place bowl into stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment and add in the cubed butter and extra virgin olive oil and cream on medium speed. Continue to cream until batter is fluffy and pale in colour (3-5 minutes). On low medium speed add in the eggs one by one, adding the next when the one before has mixed through. Add in the vanilla essence and beat on medium until everything is well combined.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and then using a rubber mix utensil, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all combined and now visible flour is left. Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Prep the lemon syrup by placing caster sugar and 100gm water into a small pot on medium high heat. Bring the syrup to a gentle bubbling, before taking off the heat and stirring in the lemon juice and gin. Place into freezer to chill, so it’s cold when cake comes out. Check it doesn’t freeze and if its getting close, pop into the fridge to keep cool.
For the lemon glaze, in a bowl add sugar, lemon juice and boiling water and with rubber spatula, mix everything together until smooth and combined. You’ll end up with a loose but thick glaze. Leave at room temperature until ready to use, and when ready to pour, give it a quick stir through again.
Once cake is baked, remove from oven and poke holes all over with a skewer before spooning the cold lemon syrup onto the hot cake. Allow to sit for minimum 15 minutes to soak up the syrup and rest before removing from tin and topping with the lemon glaze.