Lemon drizzle cake is a classic British teatime and summertime favourite. The cake is popular for its light, fluffy texture and zingy lemon flavour. It is versatile and easy to make.
Brief History and Origin
The origin of lemon drizzle cake is believed to have come from the British Isles. The cake has been around for centuries, but its exact origin is unknown. It is believed to have been created in the late 19th century and was popularised in the early 20th century.
The cake is said to have been created by a baker from Cornwall, England. He invented the cake to use up extra lemons he had in his bakery. The cake was an instant hit and has been popular ever since.
Lemon drizzle Cake – The Recipe
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 45 mins
- Total time: 1 hr
- Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 225g unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 225g white sugar
- 225g self-rising flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 lemon, zested
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1½ lemon juice
- 85g light brown sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and preheat it to 160 degrees C. Also, prepare an 8x21cm loaf tin by lining it with baking paper.
- In a bowl, add sugar and butter, and whisk using an electric mixer until creamy and pale. Add eggs, one by one, while keep whisking slowly.
- Then add flour and lemon zest, mix until all the ingredients are well combined, then transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and level the surface using a spoon.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and leave it to rest for some time. In the meanwhile, in a bow, add sugar and lemon juice, and mix until sugar dissolves and the lemon glaze is ready.
- Prick the whole surface of the warm cake using a skewer, then pour over the lemon glaze. Leave until cake is completely cool, then remove from tin, slice and serve.
Popular variations
Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:
- Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake: This lemon drizzle cake has all the classic flavor and texture, but it is made with all vegan ingredients. Indeed, the best treat for all our vegan friends.
- Pistachio, cardamom and lemon drizzle cake: This recipe has a cardamom and pistachio cake that is spongy, nutty and dressed in lemon syrup. Then the tangy lemon icing on the top makes it even more delicious.
- Lemon drizzle cake with sunken dark chocolate chunks: This has a basic sponge with lots of pockets of chocolate chunks. The tangy lemon drizzle with the cake and chocolate gives a unique richness to the cake overall.
- Lemon Drizzle Cheesecake: If you are a big fan of Cheesecake and lemon drizzle cake, this is a dream come true. The creamy cheesecake with lemon drizzle is satisfying and melts on your tongue with a kick of tanginess.
- Strawberry Lemonade Cake: This cake is inspired by the Lemon drizzle cake. It has Fresh Strawberries, tangy lemon curd, and fluffy lemon sponges. We love the variation of the mascarpone frosting for the cake.
