Lemon Drizzle Cake (Syrup-Soaked British Lemon Loaf)

Quick answer

Total time: 65 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

A British loaf cake that owes its lasting moisture to a lemon syrup poured over the surface straight from the oven.

Creaming butter and sugar thoroughly at the start incorporates air for a lighter crumb, while lemon zest folded into the batter releases its essential oils during baking, filling the kitchen with citrus fragrance. The critical step comes after baking: a hot syrup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar is drizzled over the cake while it is still warm, and the open crumb absorbs the liquid rapidly. As the cake cools, a thin crust of crystallized sugar forms on top, adding a faintly crunchy texture that gives way to the soft, syrup-soaked interior beneath. A skewer test determines doneness; underbaked cake collapses, while overbaked cake lacks the porosity to absorb the syrup fully. Wrapping the cooled cake and leaving it overnight allows the syrup to distribute evenly, deepening both the lemon flavor and the moist texture. It is a staple of the English afternoon tea table, needing no elaborate decoration to impress.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

unsalted butter140 gg

sugar170 gg

eggs2 eaea

cake flour170 gg

baking powder1 tsptsp

lemon2 eaea

milk50 mlml

Shop All Ingredients

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

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

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

Season

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

Prep

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

Heat

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

Season

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

Step

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.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Hot lemon syrup poured over the loaf straight from the oven locks moisture into British Lemon Drizzle Cake.
Finish cue: Poke several holes across the hot cake with a skewer and pour the syrup slowly over the top.
Avoid this: Pour in the milk and mix only until the dry patches disappear, stopping before the batter becomes tough.
Storage and reheating: Wrapping the cooled cake and leaving it overnight allows the syrup to distribute evenly, deepening both the lemon flavor and the moist texture.