British-Style Lemon Drizzle Cake
This British-style lemon drizzle cake bakes a buttery lemon sponge, then soaks a crackly lemon-sugar glaze into it while it’s still warm, for the teatime cake Britain is genuinely obsessed with, ready in about 75 minutes. This is the cake that separates people who like lemon desserts from people who really mean it, since the drizzle step alone uses almost as much lemon as some entire cakes. Pair a slice with a cup of our hot spiced lemon cider on a cold afternoon.
Quick answer: A buttery lemon sponge cake soaked with a crackly lemon-sugar glaze while still warm from the oven. Britain's favorite teatime lemon cake, ready in about 75 minutes.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest until just combined. Stir in the milk to loosen the batter slightly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake bakes, mix the lemon juice and sugar together for the drizzle. Don't worry about dissolving the sugar, the crunch is the point.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and slowly pour the drizzle over, letting it soak in. Cool completely in the pan before slicing.
Questions people actually ask
The cake needs to be hot when you pour it on, and you need to poke plenty of holes first with a skewer. A cooled cake won't absorb it the same way.
Yes, a bundt or round cake pan works. Reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.
That's the sugar in the drizzle recrystallizing as it cools, it's meant to be a bit crunchy on top and syrupy underneath. That's the signature texture of a proper drizzle cake.
Wrapped tightly, it stays moist at room temperature for up to 4 days. The drizzle actually helps it keep longer than a plain sponge.
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