Lemon Drizzle Cake (Syrup-Soaked British Lemon Loaf)

Name: Lemon Drizzle Cake (Syrup-Soaked British Lemon Loaf)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: unsalted butter 140 g; sugar 170 g; eggs 2 ea; cake flour 170 g; baking powder 1 tsp; lemon 2 ea; milk 50 ml

Quick answer

Active time: 65 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Holes poked into a hot lemon loaf let a sharp lemon syrup soak right through, and as it cools a thin layer of sugar crystals sets on top with a slight crunch.

In Britain it is a plain, undecorated afternoon tea staple.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

eggs2 ea

lemon2 ea

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

6 steps

1

Preheat the oven to 175C and line a loaf pan with parchment.

Let the 140 g butter, 2 eggs, and 50 ml milk lose their chill so the batter mixes smoothly.
2

Cream the butter with part of the sugar for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition to keep the emulsion stable.
3

Add 170 g cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and the lemon zest.

Pour in the milk and mix only until the dry patches disappear, stopping before the batter becomes tough.
4

Transfer the batter to the pan and level the top.

Bake at 175C for 40-45 minutes, then insert a skewer in the center and confirm it comes out without wet batter.
5

While the cake bakes, make the syrup with the remaining lemon juice and sugar.

Heat just until the sugar dissolves and the edges begin to bubble, then take it off the heat.
6

Poke several holes across the hot cake with a skewer and pour the syrup slowly over the top.

Let it cool in the pan, then wrap it once cool and rest overnight for a moister crumb.