This easy Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe works every time. It’s a fail-safe classic bake that you can whip up time and time again.
It’s a solid, easy-to-follow recipe that’s so delicious, is made in one bowl, is ready in under an hour and produces impressive, solid results – even for beginners!
This recipe for Lemon Drizzle Cake is, without doubt, one of our favourite bakes of all time. It’s a flavour that tops polls over and over again, and it always goes down a treat in every situation where cake is called for (I mean… every day?!)
I find this to be the very BEST Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe because it just works every time. It’s super zesty, lovely and moist (sorry to use that word but this calls for it), and to top it all, you can whip it up in one bowl in about 5 minutes. What’s not to love?
Why you’ll love this Lemon Drizzle Cake
⭐️ Quick and easy
⭐️ A failsafe, simple method
⭐️ Zingy and zesty to brighten your day!
About this Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe
Even though I say that this is the easiest and bulletproof Lemon Drizzle recipe, I know you’ll still have questions, especially if you’re not an accomplished baker.
So this post will give you the answers on a plate (boom boom) so you not only get the results you want, but you actually enjoy the process too.
After all, cake is to be enjoyed, and baking can be a delight when you have a little confidence. The eating isn’t so bad either!
What do I mean by a ‘one bowl recipe’? Quite simply, you mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl before pouring it all into a loaf tin and putting it in the oven to bake.
What you’ll need for making Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Unsalted butter – Some for the cake, some for greasing the tin. If you only have salted, that’s fine.
- Caster sugar – Golden caster sugar works well if you have it.
- Eggs – I use free range. If you want to be exact, they should weigh about 250g in total (weigh in shells).
- Self-raising flour
How to make Lemon Drizzle Cake
1. Preheat your oven to 160C, grease your loaf tin and line it, then put all your cake ingredients into a bowl.
2. Beat the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
3. Spoon the mixture into your loaf tin and smooth out. Bake as per the recipe below until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Once baked, skewer some holes in your cake, make up the drizzle with icing sugar and lemon juice, then pour over your cake.
Hint: Don’t take your cake completely out of the oven when checking to see if your cake is cooked. If it’s not, it could sink. Instead, slide out on the shelf and put straight back in if needed.
More loaf cakes
If you’d like to try your hand at some other easy loaf cake recipes, you could try my Nutella Cake, Pumpkin Cake or my Banana Cake (with chocolate chips). Or visit my cake page for other ideas.
All are tried and tested for ultimately deliciousness and simplicity!
How to store Lemon Drizzle Cake
Store the cake in an airtight tin or container for up to 5 days. Don’t store it in the fridge or it will become quite hard.
Freezer You can freeze this cake for another day! Make sure you wrap it in a couple of layers of greaseproof paper for the freezer and defrost it at room temperature before eating.
Top tips for making Lemon Drizzle Cake
How to know it’s cooked
First, check the cake isn’t still wobbly when you move it. If it is, put it straight back in the oven. If not, push a skewer or sharp, thin knife into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it means it’s clean. (Some crumbs are fine, but not wet cake mixture.)
When checking your cake, just slide it out on the oven shelf rather than taking it all the way out. This is so if it’s not quite done, you can push it back in quickly before it sinks.
How to zest the lemons
The best way to zest lemons is to invest in a great zester. It will change your cake-making life! I like this Microplane Zester, which I’ve had for years and it makes the job SO easy.
What tin to use
I like to make my Lemon Drizzle Cake in a loaf tin. The sizes of these can be a bit confusing, but mine is technically a 1 lb tin. This one is the perfect size: Masterclass 1 lb Loaf Tin.
How to stop the cake from sticking
Rub softened butter all around the tin and then line it with baking paper. Be sure it’s baking paper or baking parchment, NOT greaseproof paper. They are different!
FAQ
The most common reason for a Lemon Drizzle Cake sinking in the middle is when the oven door has been opened before the cake was set.
Be sure not to open the door before 40 minutes, and even then, do it by opening the oven door and checking it as quickly as possible!
Yes. Just replace the flour with gluten-free self-raising flour. It may sink a little more in the middle, but it will still taste fantastic.
You sure can. Just replace the butter with your normal favourite dairy-free baking spread.
Yes! Make the drizzle topping with the lemon juice and then use the same amount of icing sugar again, but with less juice to make a thicker icing to go on top. Double decker ceiling for the WIN.
No, sorry! Baking relies on very specific quantities to be successful and if you use cups (which measure in volume) there’s such a big room for error, and you’d be making life so much harder for yourself as a baker.
The best thing to do is invest in a set of digital scales and see your baking succeed every time (there are lots of low cost versions out there).
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Lemon Drizzle Cake {Easiest Ever Recipe!}
Ingredients
Cake ingredients:
- 250 g Unsalted butter Plus extra for greasing your tin. See rotes.
- 250 g Caster sugar See notes.
- 4 Eggs Medium. See notes.
- 250 g Self-raising flour
- 3 Lemons Zest only. (Reserve the zested fruit for the juice for the drizzle.) See notes.
For the drizzle:
- 100 g Icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C and grease your loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
- Put all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat until smooth.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth out. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
For the drizzle:
- While the cake is still warm in the tin, use a skewer or thin sharp knife to poke holes all over it.
- Mix the icing sugar with enough of the juice of the lemons to make a thin paste. Add the liquid gradually so it stays nice and smooth. (This is normally 1-and-a-half lemons, but will depend on how big and juicy they were!)
- Pour all over the cake and allow to sink in.
Freya says
Made this with my sons and we al absolitley love it. So tasty and simple thank you
Sophie says
Such a great recipe so easy to print out thankyou so much
Cake turned out absolutely brilliant 🤩
Mrs F says
Moist, lemony and absolutely DELICIOUS!!
This cake Is THE best Lemon Drizzle Recipe!!
Easy all in one method
I double deckered the icing too! Recommended for that tangy lemony ‘crunch’
Thank you ♥️
Thankyou
Tannya says
So tasty and easy. It’s become my go-to. Thank you
Tracey Dent says
Made this dairy free version for the first time today. Easy to follow recipe and making was easy for a baking novice.. School boy error- or impatience – put the thicker icing on when cake was too warm. Was still delicious though.!!
Emma says
Made this with my kids this week and it was a winner! So light I can’t believe it’s an all in one method – very pleased! Xx.
Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes says
Thanks for sharing, this lemon cake looks lovely 🙂
Jane says
I made this as a birthday cake for a
friends birthday and she said it was the
tastiest lemon drizzle cake ever!!!
Lisa cowie says
Another fantastic and easy recipe, loved it. 😋
Isla says
Best Lemon drizzle cake ever, can’t go wrong
Helen Porter says
Mine needed an extra 15 minutes after the first 50 and I was convinced it would be really dry, but it’s absolutely gorgeous, better and easier than my previous recipe. And yes, I double decker iced!
Lynda says
I also left it in an extra 10 mins the best lemmon drizzle cake I’ve ever made so moist will definitely make it again
Kevin Gould says
Such a simple, easy recipe. Cake was extremely light, lovely tasting cake. Baked in a 2lb loaf tin, checked after 45 mins and took just over 1 hour at 160 in a fan assisted oven. Double iced. Absolutely first class.
Etta says
Thanks so much Kevin for including the fan assisted temperature and the size of the loaf tin in your comments! As a non confident baker I wasn’t sure from the recipe.
Rena says
It’s the first time I made this cake and it came out perfect! Love the way you can just put all ingredients in at same time and just mix. Very impressed with this recipe, would love a coconut version! Thanks Sarah! 😊
lol says
thank you linda – amazing recipe
Lilian Davey says
This lemon Drizzle cake is the easiest ever cake to make …..my 7 yr old granddaughter could make it ….😋 I’m not the best baker in the world but I’ve made this recipe several times now as it’s so delicious & easy to make ….many thanks 👍
Letty says
easypeasy!,,
Kate Armitage says
Tastes fantastic and so easy but recipe says 160° which I did first time and had to add about 25 to 30 mins to cook time, second one I did at 180° and it was still wet after 50mins, hope it tastes as good as the first one😋
Lesley gala says
Absolutely gawgus best lemon cake ever Thanks 😊 for sharing this recipe
Janie says
Wow just wow delicious definitely 1 to be made again and again.
Sheila says
Used this recipe a few times now it’s so easy and always comes out perfect, it’s so light and moist. I get 2 one pound loaf tins out of it .
Kerry rose says
OMG! Cant use any other recipe but this one its easy and its gorgeous
Thank you
Lesley says
Absolutely Gawgus saves a lot of messing about this way. Thankyou
Paul says
Very nice, and zesty 🙂 easy to follow recipe. 10/10
Maryam Gajaria says
Absolutely amazing recipe. Can’t go wrong and mixture is so fluffy and smooth. Love it thanx so much for sharing this recipe xx 😊😊😊
Audrey Whyte says
Absolutely love this cake and it’s so easy to make. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Lizzie knight says
Hooray I am glad you weigh everything, cups are so inaccurate.
Justin says
Baked my first ever lemon drizzle with this recipe gluten free for my wife today. We both absolutely loved it. Thanks for great recipe. Would be useful if it gave approx ratios of maize/ rice/ potato starch as I had to guess because I didn’t have blended gluten free flour. Thanks again.
Karen Ley says
Was delicious . Thank you for the recipe. I have also had a couple of slices with homemade icecream. Was so surprised at how well they went together.
Rhiannon Roberts says
Absolutely loved it! Mine needed an extra 30-45 mins at 160. Making again tonight so will see how it goes! Wonderful recipe! 🍋
Christine Hartley says
I made this cake at 12.35am as having sleep depravation by 5 am I was having a slice or two !! With a cup of tea mmmmm I then went to sleep for a while and made another for a friend who said it was scrumpy yummy in her tummy . You can’t get better than that !!!!
Sara says
Have tried this previously and went really well, so am trying it as cupcakes this time, will let you know how it goes 😋
Debbie davies says
It’s coming out of oven in a bit
I set alarm for 60 mins
Fingers crissed
Stella says
Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but just can’t get my cake to cook in the middle.
Karen Blair says
I used this recipe for the first time I’ve ever baked such a cake as lemon drizzle cake is my favourite. It turned out soooo amazing and so easy. It took over an hour to bake though which is likely my oven. I don’t use icing sugar as it’s usually mixed with cornstarch to stop it clumping so I used caster sugar melted with some lemon juice and it gave an amazing clear shiny glaze with a slight crisp which also soaked through the warm cake very well. Very chuffed with the result. Thanks for sharing.
Wendy says
Brilliant recipe I make one weekly
Doesn’t last long
Mervyn says
First cake I have ever made ( never too late to learn 67yrs ) So easy to follow instructions and so tasty. I did have to leave in for 70 mins @160c.
Outside lovely and crunchy brown ,inside ‘moist’ and full of flavour.
Will make it again!!
Shamim Abdulla says
Loved the cake!
Clare says
Super easy to make and tastes gorgeous new family favourite
Jenny j says
So so easy to make
Fab results. Definitely a winner…thank you
Nafisa says
So easy and tasty…loved by all.
I blended alll the ingredients in a food processor and worked a treat!
Go for it!
Jane says
It’s yummy I like it
Sue says
I made 2 one for ourself and one for my son and his family , they said it’s the best they have ever had, very most and delicious
Karina says
A delightful recipe, that’s straightforward to make and brightens your day 👌🏼
Thank you for sharing
Tone says
This recipe is brilliant and always comes out perfect
My husband is always excited when I make it
And lastly I cannot bake so I love this
Katie says
Seemed loads of mixture so split between 2 tins! Good job because we’ve nearly finished the 1st one!
Rachel says
Absolutely gorgeous 😜 cake
I’m making another for my dads birthday 🥳 next week.
I recommend using a 2lb loaf tin @ gas mark 3 for 1hr…….Yummy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gavin says
I have a tiny recommendation for a variation. Take the seeds from a cardamom pod, add them to the lemon juice, give them 20 seconds on full (Cat E/1kw microwave) and leave to steep while the cake bakes. Then pour the juice through a tea-strainer, discard the cardamom, and proceed to make the sugar/lemon juice mix as before. It’s really very rather.
Jane says
Easy recipe & is so tasty!! Have one in the oven as I type this, my mouth is watering with the smell. Thank you 😊
Lorraine Brown says
This is the best lemon drizzle cake I’ve ever made, my daughter takes it to school and all her friends and teachers love it!
I going to try an alternative, sugar and gluten free. I will let you know how it turns out.
Teresa says
The cake was easy to make and tastes delicious. I won’t make it again because I’m concerned about the high quantities of butter and eggs.
Laura says
First attempt at a lemon drizzle cake and this didn’t fail. I was very skeptical due to the easy recipe but nope this turned out absolutely fantastic. Needless to say I now have an obligation to the lads at work who constantly ask me for this cake.
Faye Brown says
This is amazing, I’m usually terrible at baking but this came out perfect (it needed 1hr 5mins) but it was moist and delicious!! Thank you ❤️
David Franklin says
Amazing recipe – and so easy. But, definitely not a 1lb tin – at the very least a 2lb loaf tin. So, more cake to eat – yum yum!
Aisha Amin says
Made with muscovado sugar as didn’t have caster and an extra lemon. Omg. Soooo yum. I love your recipes!!
Sharon Whelan says
Absolutely amazing and so easy everyone loved it 5 stars .