Britain's most popular homemade cake — a moist, buttery lemon sponge soaked with a sharp lemon sugar syrup that creates a crunchy, tangy top. This easy lemon drizzle cake recipe is simple, foolproof and absolutely irresistible.
The lemon drizzle cake is arguably Britain's favourite cake — consistently the top choice in UK baking surveys. The genius is in the drizzle: a mixture of lemon juice and sugar poured over the still-warm cake. The sugar dissolves on the surface and then recrystallises as the cake cools, creating a crackly, crunchy, intensely lemony crust that is completely addictive.
Serves 10
Beat softened butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer for 4–5 minutes until very pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then fold in flour, baking powder, lemon zest and milk.
Pour into a greased and lined 900g / 2lb loaf tin. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Mix granulated sugar and lemon juice — don't dissolve the sugar, you want the crystals.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a skewer to poke holes all over the top. Pour the lemon-sugar drizzle over immediately, allowing it to soak in. Leave in the tin to cool completely.
The crackly crust forms as the sugar recrystallises on the cooling surface — don't rush it.
Use unwaxed lemons — the zest is the main flavour source.
Poke holes generously so the drizzle penetrates the whole cake, not just the top.
Don't remove from the tin before the drizzle has completely set and the cake is cool.
Orange drizzle cake: replace lemons with 2 large oranges.
Lemon poppy seed: add 2 tbsp poppy seeds to the batter.
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 5 days. The drizzle crust keeps the cake moist. Freeze without drizzle for up to 2 months.
Lemon drizzle cake emerged as a British home baking staple in the mid-20th century. It was consistently voted Britain's favourite cake in multiple surveys in the 2010s. Mary Berry's version on The Great British Bake Off cemented its status as the nation's defining bake.
The signature drizzle — lemon juice and granulated sugar poured over the warm cake — soaks in and then recrystallises on the surface, creating a uniquely crunchy, intensely lemony crust.
Overbaking is the usual cause. Check at 38 minutes and pull it the moment a skewer comes out with just a few crumbs.
You can, but fresh lemon juice has significantly more flavour. The zest (from fresh lemons) provides most of the intense lemon character and can't be replicated.
Use granulated sugar (not caster or icing) for the drizzle — the larger crystals are what create the crunch. Also ensure you pour it over while the cake is still hot.
Per serving (350g) · 10 servings total
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