Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake! – Back to Basics!
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An easy lemon drizzle loaf cake – lemon sponge, lemon drizzle, lemon icing… what more could you want?! Another post in my back to basics series!
Lemon drizzle loaf cake
So, say hello to your new lemon addiction. I have always been a fan of lemon flavours, and this new post, another instalment in my back to basics series, is my lemon drizzle loaf cake. It’s easy, it’s delicious, and I love it.
In the past, I have uploaded my lemon lime drizzle cake – which is fairly similar. It’s an old post, with different quantities, and is obviously lemon and lime combined! As you all adore loaf cakes even more now though, I thought I would do an in-depth post into this beauty.
Tin
So… when you are starting with a loaf cake, you need the right tin. Loaf tins can vary greatly in size, even if they are described as being the same tin. For example, I have three different 2lb loaf tins, but they are all slightly different in how much water they can hold. Usually, this is okay as long as they are similar enough! For reference, this is the 2lb loaf tin that I use! If it helps, the exact measurements are – 24.4 x 14.4 x 6.9 cm. This may help you if your’s varies slightly!
Some loaf tins are still 2lb, but they are slightly wider and shallower, which means the bake time can vary – but baking a loaf cake is quite similar to baking a Bundt Cake. They can vary dependent on tin, just like a Bundt Cake, but usually they work out the same!
When I line the tin, I usually grease it slightly and then add parchment paper on top. I don’t then grease on top of the paper. I don’t feel the need, and if you use the correct type of baking parchment, then you definitely don’t need to do it!
Cake mix
Now when it comes to the cake mix, it really is just a basic cake mix. Even weight quantities of butter, sugar, eggs and flour – with lemon added in. Because it’s just the basic cake mix, you need to make sure the quantities are correct.
You can help this by weighing your eggs, in their shells, but generally I find 5 medium eggs = 250g of mix. It’s much easier this way. If you use large eggs, they can often be 60g, so I would only use 4 eggs, and only 240g each of the rest of the ingredients. I hope this makes sense.
When it comes to the lemon, you have two choices. Fresh lemon zest grated finely, or lemon extract! Either work well, and they both work the same! I swap between both each time, and they both work well. If you want to use the zest, you can then use the same lemons for the drizzles later.
Bake
When baking a loaf cake, it can vary a bit just like bundt cakes, as mentioned earlier! The usual timings is 55-65 minutes, because it’s quite a lot of mix, in a smaller sized tin (compared to a round tin!).
Sometimes, the baking can take longer though. My oven is a fan oven, so I put it on the fan setting at 160C – I set the timer for 55 minutes, and then check it. If when I open the door and touch the tin the cake wobbles, it’s definitely not done! However, if it’s not wobbling it’s worth checking.
Checking a cake is a fine balance though. When opening the oven door, you really don’t want to take too long. For every second an oven door is open, you will lose LOTS of heat. If your cake isn’t finished baking, it can sometimes also sink if taken out too early.
Lemon drizzle
For the lemon drizzle, you want to mix together the lemon juice and caster sugar – it makes a sort of cloudy drizzly paste – spoon this over the cake once it’s come out of the oven and it will soak in. Leave the cake to cool fully before moving from the tin!
The wonderful thing about this sort of cake is that it’s simple, but it’s so delicious. The lemon drizzle keeps the cake lovely and moist – and it won’t dry out. I use my stand mixer to mix the cake ingredients together, and it’s amazing. Although, this isn’t essential.
Decoration
Once cooled, you can optionally decorate it – I use the icing sugar, ‘watered’ down with some more lemon juice – and just drizzle it over with a small spoon! I then sprinkle on some lemon zest to make it look pretty, but both the icing drizzle and zest are optional. They just look nice!.
You can of course leave it completely plain, top it with a buttercream or even a fresh cream topping – that’s the charm of a bake like this, you can do whatever you want.
Top tips
A handy method to check if your cake is ready, is to (carefully!!) listen to the cake – if it’s making a bubbling/crackling sound, then it’s not actually finished baking either. You’ll want to continue baking till the skewer is clean, and also not making a sound.
I classically use caster sugar for the sponge and main drizzle, but this can be switched with golden caster sugar, light brown sugar, or even dark brown – but the changes can change the flavour!
I use medium eggs as I have said, and I use self-raising flour. If you can’t access self-raising, you will want to use plain flour with baking powder added in. You whisk in 2 level tsps of baking powder per 150g of flour, before using it in a recipe! It’s often easier to make a larger batch though, and then just store the flour for later use! Easy and delicious.
I hope you love this recipe, any questions leave them below! x
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 250 g caster sugar
- 250 g self raising flour
- 5 medium eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons (2tsp lemon extract)
Drizzle
- 75 ml lemon juice
- 75 g caster sugar
Decoration
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1-2 tsps lemon juice
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan - grease and line your 2lb loaf tin!
- Beat together your butter and sugar together until light and creamy!
- Add in your flour, eggs and lemon and beat again until combined. It'll be a smooth cake mixture!
- Add the mix into the cake tin and bake. This can take 55-65 minutes - but check from 50 minutes onwards.
- Towards the end of baking - in a bowl, mix together your 75ml lemon juice and 75g caster sugar together.
- Once the cake is baked, drizzle this over the cake, whilst still in the tin. Let the cake cool fully.
- Once the cake is cooled, remove from the tin.
- If you want to decorate, mix in lemon juice to your icing sugar until you reach the desired consistency.
- Drizzle this over the cake, and sprinkle on some lemon zest for decoration! Enjoy!
Notes
- I use this loaf tin!
- If it helps, I also use this baking parchment in my bakes!
- As mentioned in the post, if you are using large eggs - use four large eggs, and 240g flour, sugar, butter.
- If your cake sinks, it hasn't finished baking! Loaf tin baking times can vary so check on the cake from 50 minutes onwards.
- This cake will last for 4-5 days at room temp! I store it in a cake storage tin.
- You can easily water down the icing for the drizzle with water instead, but the lemon juice is more zingy!
- If you want to make a smaller cake you can - reduce it down by one medium egg, and use 200g of ingredients. Or even reduce by two eggs, and use 150g of ingredients. The fewer the ingredients the quicker the bake time!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi Jane, thank you for this lovely recipe. Are you able to advice on the maximum amount of sugar reducing. Am trying to lose weight.
I’m really sorry but I don’t know – I personally believe it’s best to make it as is, and enjoy a smaller slice and freeze leftovers for the future.
Hey! Does it matter if you use large eggs instead of medium? X
Read the notes on the recipe about using large instead of medium x
Hello! I have bought lemon juice “from concentrate” How much would you advice to use of this (rather than freshly squeezed)? Thank you
I would use the same for the drizzle you soak into the cake, and for the icing drizzle!
Hi Jane, would this recipe work without lemon zest?
Hey! Yes definitely – you’ll still get enough lemon flavour from the drizzle!
Do the eggs have to be medium size, or could large eggs be used instead? 🙂
Hey! So there’s notes about this on the post – about what else you should change too! x
Hey Jane!
Can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂
I was wondering if you’ve ever used a reusable tin liner? Something like this
I’ve always felt guilty for using so much baking parchment, but not sure if a reusable one would do as good a job!
Thanks 🙂
Calli
I’ve used reusable mats for stuff like cookies/macarons, but generally I find baking parchment better! I haven’t used a liner like that before! x
I was too keen and I’ve already made up my drizzle and it’s only just gone in the oven…i then read that you said to make this up “near the end of baking” what will happen to my drizzle sitting out for an hour?!
No it will be fine! Just cover it with something before using!
Once again, a perfect recipe by Jane! Made this today after seeing the blog post go up and it has turned out perfect! No sinking top, and bursting with flavour 🤗 This is going to be devoured by the end of the day!
I used lemon extract in mine as no lemon to hand and it’s just as good.
Thank you for posting another great recipe ☺️
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Love lemon cake and this looks amazing – have seen other recipes for lemon drizzle cake and they have crushed almonds in the ingredients. Is there a reason why you haven’t used them? Will have to give this a go when I get all the ingredients.
Hey! I just don’t think it needs it! Lots of my readers can’t eat nuts, and I’ve always classically used it without! x
Tried this recipe for the first time and it was delicious. I LOVE lemon flavoured cakes so I did add 5 teaspoons of lemon extract! It was so tasty and the sponge is light and soft. It took about 65 minutes to bake but I checked after 50 minutes as suggested and then covered with tinfoil.
Can’t wait to bake this again. Thank you Jane x
Loved this recipe. But after pouring the drizzle on when I got it out the oven and left it cool down, the middle had sunk! What did I do wrong? Did the drizzle cause this? Xxx
So cake sinking as mentioned can be due to it not being baked for long enough – once it’s cooled and such it will still be fine to eat it’ll just be slightly denser! x
Hello Jane when you say line and grease your tin do you mean just the bottom or the sides as well. Thanks
For a loaf tin I usually do the base and sides!
If i would like to bake in a 1 lb tin would i just habe to half the recipe? What about the temperature? Would it remain the same?
Thank you.
That can depend on the exact size of your tin, as even the 2lb tins can vary greatly as mentioned! I would maybe go for a 150g mix, and bake for the same temp but reduce the timing quite a bit! x
I still can’t get a gold of self raising flour. Could Plain flour and baking powder work? If so what would the quantities be for each?
Thanks!
That is mentioned in the post! x
Yes, I did exactly that as I couldn’t get self raising flour and it was delicious! I added 2tsps of baking powder for every 150g of plain flour and sifted it together, 😀
Hi Jane! I love your recipes and bake them all the times but I was wondering if there’s any way I can use sugar alternatives in the bakes as I live with two diabetics, and what sugar alternatives would work best?! Thank you! X
I’m afraid I don’t know much about sugar alternatives – sorry!! x
Hi Gemma, i make most of Jane’s recipes for my diabetic husband substituting sugar for xylitol sweetener and fibre flour. They always work a treat
My loaf cakes always rise in the middle instead of staying nice and flat like yours. Do you have any tips for keeping the shape please? Can’t wait to try this!
Often that can happen due to how the cake mix is mixed, the oven itself, or it can be the recipe, but loaf cakes often do just do it! Often mine do too! I just find certain ones such as this, or my carrot loaf cake stay flatter! X