Lemon Drizzle Cake Zest (Printable version)

A moist lemon sponge infused with fresh zest and a tangy drizzle, ideal for teatime or dessert.

# What you need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup caster sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
05 - Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
06 - 2 tablespoons milk
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Drizzle

08 - Juice of 2 lemons
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2-pound loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between additions.
04 - Fold in self-raising flour, salt, and lemon zest gently until combined. Stir in milk.
05 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
06 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - While baking, combine lemon juice and granulated sugar until sugar dissolves.
08 - Remove cake from oven. While still in the pan, prick the surface with a skewer and pour drizzle evenly over the top.
09 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan so the drizzle soaks in. Remove, slice into 10 pieces, and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The drizzle soaks into a hot cake and creates these sweet-tart pockets of flavor that taste like spring in every bite.
  • It's foolproof enough for your first loaf cake but impressive enough to serve at a proper tea party.
  • One bowl of batter, one tin, and you've got something that stays moist for days if you can resist eating it first.
02 -
  • The glaze must go on a hot cake, not a warm one and definitely not a cold one—the heat is what makes it soak in and create those pockets of flavor instead of sitting on the surface like icing.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest in the batter; it's what gives the cake its character and keeps it from tasting like just another vanilla sponge with tartness added at the end.
  • Measure your flour by weight if you can; the difference between a loosely packed cup and a compressed one can turn a tender cake into something dry and crumbly.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester to get the lemon zest—it captures the fragrant oils and avoids the bitter white pith that a box grater would pull off.
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable for this recipe; they incorporate smoothly and create a batter that rises properly without cracking or splitting.
  • Don't skip pricking the cake or the heat of the moment—the glaze needs that hot cake to seep in and create pockets of flavor that are impossible to replicate any other way.

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