Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake! – Back to Basics!
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This classic lemon drizzle loaf cake features a melt-in-the-mouth lemon sponge, a deeply soaking sugar-and-juice drizzle, and a vibrant icing glaze. Prep takes 15 minutes, it bakes in 55 to 65 minutes, and it stays perfectly moist for days without dropping or sinking.
The golden ratio
This sponge is built upon the traditional equal-weight structure where the fat, sugar, flour, and eggs balance each other perfectly. Because domestic egg sizes vary considerably, the most accurate way to guarantee a flawless rise is to weigh your eggs in their shells first, then match that exact weight in butter, caster sugar, and self-raising flour.
As a general rule of thumb:
Medium eggs: 5 medium eggs weigh approximately 250g, which aligns perfectly with the standard quantities listed in the recipe card below.
Large eggs: If you only have large eggs in your fridge, 4 large eggs usually weigh around 240g. If using large eggs, adjust your butter, sugar, and flour down to 240g each to keep the chemical balance perfect.
For the all-important citrus hit, you can use either two teaspoons of high-quality natural lemon extract or the finely grated zest of two fresh lemons. If you choose fresh zest, ensure you only grate the vibrant yellow outer skin; the white pith underneath is incredibly bitter and will ruin the clean flavour of your sponge.
Selecting and lining your loaf 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!
Maximising the zing of lemon
To get that spectacular, mouth-puckering contrast of sweet and sharp, this recipe treats the drizzle and the decoration as two entirely separate elements:
The decorative glaze: Once the cake has cooled completely to room temperature, a separate thick mixture of icing sugar and lemon juice is drizzled across the top. This provides a sharp, visually striking white finish that prevents the cake from looking plain.
The soaking drizzle: This is a simple, cloudy syrup made from fresh lemon juice and caster sugar. It must be spooned generously over the cake while the sponge is fresh out of the oven and still piping hot. The heat opens the pores of the cake, allowing the liquid to completely saturate the crumb, locking in moisture and creating a gorgeous, crunchy sugar crust as it cools.
FAQs
Yes, you can make your own substitute easily. For this specific recipe, weigh out 245g of standard plain flour and thoroughly sift it together with 3 level teaspoons of baking powder before mixing it into your batter.
A distinct, central crack is actually the hallmark of a traditional British loaf cake! Because the outer edges of the batter set first in the narrow tin, the expanding gases inside the cake force their way up through the weakest, wettest point in the centre as it continues to rise. It is completely normal and looks beautifully rustic.
Absolutely. To adapt this for a smaller 1lb tin, simply reduce the ingredients down by a two-egg ratio: use 3 medium eggs and scale the butter, caster sugar, and self-raising flour down to 150g each. This smaller volume will bake much faster, so start checking it around the 35 to 40-minute mark.
This happens if you poke deep holes into the cake with a skewer before pouring the drizzle over it. While many recipes advise doing this, it creates direct channels that allow the liquid to bypass the crumb entirely and pool at the bottom, making the base soggy. Simply spoon the drizzle directly onto the intact, hot surface; the hot sponge will naturally draw it in like a sponge.
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 180ºc / 160ºc 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!
Notes
- I use this loaf tin!
- If it helps, I also use this baking parchment in my bakes!
- This cake will last for 4-5 days at room temp! I store it in a cake storage tin.
Storage and freezing
Thanks to the wonderful moisture-retaining properties of the hot sugar-and-juice soak, this classic lemon drizzle loaf cake keeps exceptionally well and will stay beautifully soft, tender, and intensely flavourful for four to five days when stored at room temperature inside an airtight cake tin or a dedicated cake storage box.
It is highly recommended that you do not store this bake in the fridge, as the cold environment will cause the butter fats within the sponge to firm up, making the overall texture feel dense and dry. If you want to prepare this bake well in advance, the un-iced loaf cake freezes beautifully for up to three months; simply let the drizzle-soaked cake cool completely, wrap it tightly in a double layer of cling film followed by a layer of kitchen foil, and freeze, ensuring you allow it to defrost fully at room temperature before adding the fresh icing glaze.
Related recipes
Everybody knows I love a lemony bake, lemon drizzle loaf cake is just the beginning of the possibilities, there are lemon drizzle cupcakes if you need smaller, more bite-sized bakes, alternatively I have had great success with lemon drizzle traybake which have proven to be very popular.
The ultimate showstopper if it’s a special occasion and you need to demonstrate you are the expert baker I always have the lemon celebration cake, great for a birthday or anniversary.
Hey, I can see the recipe says to use butter however I just wanted to check whether stork is fine to use instead?
I find cakes come out better with stork than butter, but happy to use butter if needed and if tastes better!
Thanks
Hiya! You can use either – completely up to you! Enjoy! x
I have made this loaf cake loads of times because it’s the best lemon drizzle cake ever 😊everyone I have baked it for raves about it. Thank u again Jane as have found same from all ur recipes. Can’t wait for ur second book. Ps only been baking for 4 months no fails yet with ur recipes Thank u ☺️ 💖💖
I love this recipe!
Just wondering, I want to try this in mini loaf cake cases instead of 1 big one. Do you know if the recipe will change/how many mini loafs in one big?
Hope that makes sense x
Did you make mini ones? – i am also planning this not sure how long to bake for
Hi, I’ve made this before and its amazing, I wanted to
Mark again but in the little mini loaf cases, how long would you recommend to bake for? X
Hi Jane could you tell me if I have to use lemon extract. Can’t get it at local shops can I use extra lemon juice instead.
Hiya! As per the recipe – you can use lemon juice or lemon zest! Hope this helps! x
Recipe sounds amazing. When you line the tin with the baking paper, do you line the whole tin or just the bottom? In the past I have found it makes the cake a funny shape if it crinkles up round the sides. Thank you x
On a loaf tin, I line the bottom and long sides with one piece of baking paper. Leave the ends but grease well. I agree about the creases leaving indentations on the cake, it spoils the look.
Hi, can you freeze this once decorated? Thanks! 🙂
Hiya! Absolutely you can, for up to 3 months. Enjoy! x
Hello
Could you add poppy seeds, if so how many would you put in?
This is my first time making a lemon drizzle and the icing on top has gone really clear and looks nothing like yours! What am I doing wrong?
Love this recipe however presentation wise it looks nothing like the picture the icing seems to go clear?!
Is there something I’ve missed?
Some icing sugar is thinner so requires less liquid – but as long as it tastes okay!
Hiya. Sorry probably sound like a silly question but when you weigh the eggs do you weigh after they’ve been cracked? And then measure all the ingredients the same weight?!
You weigh the eggs in their shells first. Then whatever they say in the scales , you then weigh out the sugar, butter and flour to the exact amount of weight of the eggs. So if for example the weight of the eggs in their shells weighed 240g then you would weigh out 240g of sugar, butter and flour
I don’t have any lemon extract, can I use lemon juice ìn the cake instead?
For the sponge mixture you would want extract or zest, not juice x
Hi Jane, can you suggest the best way to add white chocolate to this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Jane,
I love this recipe have used it lots before!! Just wondering if I can make the cake batter today and keep it in the fridge until tomorrow and bake it then? Would that work or would it ruin the rise of the cake?
Thank you!!
I always recommend using fresh cake batter xx
The most beautiful lemon drizzle cake. This was the first time I’ve tried to bake a cake, and it was so easy. I used a 2lb tin and probably filled it a little more the 2/3 so it took an extra 10/15 minutes to bake.
Absolutely delicious. Simple ingredients, simple technique and turned out well.
I have a question. My loaf took about 50-53 minutes. However it started browning earlier and by the time I took it out, it was dark brown (looked somewhat burnt). When I cut it, the inside was perfectly fine. Any advice? Would covering with foil half way etc work?
Thank you
Hiya! So glad you loved it. Yes best thing to do with this is to turn the heat down and cover it in foil!x
Hi I made this today using the tin you recommend. My cake domed in the middle, (rise more). Is there a reason it would do this as followed recipe to a t.
Many thanks
Hiya – loaf cakes classically do dome, so there’s nothing to change!