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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf

    Slices of Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf on a patterned plate
    Slices of Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf on a patterned plate

    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf is quick and easy to prepare, ideal for unexpected visitors and great for a bake sale.

    Jump to Recipe
    Slices of Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf on a patterned plate

    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf

    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf is one of my go-to recipes when I need a cake in a hurry. It isn't the most glamorous cake in my recipe book, but it is one of the easiest and tastiest. It's a light, luscious lemony cake with a crunchy topping, just the thing with a cup of tea or coffee. It's the cake I make when I've got an hour before I visit one of my girls - last time I cut it so fine that the cakes travelled in their tins in a box to cool on the journey.

    Quick cake for an event

    It's also the cake I make for a bake sale or the tea tent when I'm really short of time. It's Village Show time again and this year I'm a bit too busy for my ideal offering of a Coffee Cake, but I know a Lemon Drizzle Loaf or two will be much appreciated. (One from me and one from Mum.)

    Two Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaves on a cooling rack

    For the tea tent I'm using a 2lb loaf tin because I need bigger slices, but usually, I make two of these cakes in 1lb loaf tins. You can eat one and freeze one - especially good if you don't want a large cake hanging around. (Well, it wouldn't hang around long in my house, but you never know...)

    What equipment do you need?

    I've been upgrading my baking tools, and discarding ones I don't use. I'm currently loving:

    • Lemon zester – I came late in the day to lemon zesters. I used my old box grater (with a different grater on each side) for years. The last time I used it for a lemon I grated my knuckle so badly that I finally gave in and bought a zester.
    • Helix citrus press – I’ve had a number of juicers over the years and this one’s quite different. I wasn’t sure that it would get all the juice out but it seems to, and doesn’t require much effort. If your grip isn’t good, this really helps.
    • Beeswax Loaf Wrap – I’m trying to reduce the amount of clingfilm, foil and plastic bags that I use, and my biggest problem has been something to wrap loaf cakes in for the freezer. I’ve now found large beeswax wraps that will cover a loaf of bread, and are ideal for loaf cakes. They’re washable and you can even rejuvenate them. Definitely worth a look.

    If you like this...

    Why don’t you try:

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    Lemon and Elderflower Cake

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    Marmalade Loaf Cake and 2 slices on a white plate

    Marmalade Loaf Cake

    Marmalade Loaf Cake is made with the all-in-one method. A plain, but fruity cake and good with coffee.

    Stockists

    Black 2-pound loaf tin with other tins

    2lb loaf tin

    Buy Now →
    baking parchment loaf tin liners

    Baking parchment loaf tin liner

    Buy Now →
    Helix citrus press

    Helix citrus press

    Buy Now →
    Large Beeswax Wrap

    Beeswax Loaf Wraps

    Buy Now →
    Slices of Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf on a patterned plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf

    Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf is a moist, zingy cake. Lovely with a cup of tea. Makes 2 1lb loaves or 1 2lb loaf.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Teatime
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: beginner baker, easy, loaf cake, teatime
    Servings: 10 slices per cake
    Author: [email protected] Cooks

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

    • 1 lemon
    • 125 g butter at room temperature
    • 180 g caster sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 60 ml milk
    • 180 g self-raising flour
    • 1 level teaspoon baking powder (5ml)
    • Pinch of salt

    For the topping:

    • Juice of the lemon
    • 120 g granulated sugar
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    Equipment

    2 x 1lb loaf tins
    Black 2-pound loaf tin with other tins
    OR 1 x 2lb loaf tin
    Baking parchment loaf tin liner
    Citrus juicer
    Citrus zester
    Lemon zester

    Instructions

    PREPARATION:

    • Set the oven to 190°C/170°C fan, gas mark 5/375°F
    • (Set to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4/350°F if making one large cake (2lb loaf tin))
    • Line the tins with paper liners
    • Grate the lemon to get the zest.

    For the Lemon Drizzle Loaf:

    • In a processor or with a mixer, beat all the cake ingredients together thoroughly – butter, caster sugar, eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest
      You will have quite a slack mixture - do not worry!
    • Pour the mixture into the tins
    • Smooth the tops of the cakes with a palette knife and make a slight dip in the centre
    • Cook for 25-30 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip
    • (Cook a 2lb cake for 50-60 minutes)
    • While the cakes are cooking make the topping.

    For the lemon topping:

    • Juice the lemon
    • Mix the lemon juice and sugar well in a small bowl
    • When you take the cakes out of the oven, leave them in the tin
    • While they are still warm, prick the top of the cakes with a cocktail stick
    • Spoon the lemon topping over and leave the cakes in the tin to cool.

    Notes

    Storage

    • Store in the liner in an airtight box in the fridge for up to two weeks
    • Lemon Drizzle Loaf cakes freeze well. Wrap in the liner paper and foil or cling film and seal in a plastic box or bag.

    More Cakes and Desserts

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hilda says

      September 18, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      Just love your all in one cakes.Have made this lemon drizzle cake over and over again,always perfect.

      Reply
    2. Peter says

      April 11, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      Hi Susie
      I’m having a problem with my lemon drizzle cake, I’m baking in a 2lb cake tin and all was going well then 10 minutes before it was due to be finished the centre has dropped!
      This has happened twice before.
      I have cooked about 6 of the cakes and only 3 of them have come out perfect, the dropped ones taste okay but look like a canyon is running through the middle and makes it difficult to drizzle.
      Any ideas on what I’m doin wrong?

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        April 28, 2021 at 11:57 am

        Hi Peter. The two main reasons for cakes sinking are too much baking powder (causes the cake to rise quickly then sink) or opening the oven door - and the temperature dropping - too early in the bake. If it's dropping only 10 minutes before finish time that's unlikely to be the problem. A third reason is not cooking the cake as soon as it's mixed.
        The baking powder needs to be a level teaspoon, which I've updated the recipe to be clear about. Do you think that's the reason? Susie

        Reply
    3. Phoebe says

      March 13, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Hi this looks nice, would it work in a round cake tin instead of a loaf tin?

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        March 13, 2021 at 6:06 pm

        Hi Phoebe, Here is a recipe for a Round Lemon Drizzle Cake. Cheers - Susie

        Reply
    4. Peter says

      February 21, 2021 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Made the lemon drizzle cake yesterday and it was eaten up straight away now making another one this time in a 2lb loaf tin, I wonder how long this will last, especially as we have some cream to go with it.

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        February 22, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        Hi Peter, Classic recipes are the best! We love a lemon drizzle cake in our house. Cream sounds like a very good idea 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sharon says

      May 28, 2020 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      Made this today, first time making lemon drizzle cake, it was light, soft and with a crunchy lemony top was delicious. I'm going to try it with orange next as daughter doesn't like lemon. Thanks for making it so easy

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        May 29, 2020 at 1:34 pm

        Hi Sharon. You're welcome 🙂 So pleased you like the cake. Cheers - Susie

        Reply
      • Peter says

        February 21, 2021 at 10:45 am

        Please let us know how the orange one turned out, as I was thinking about combining an orange and lemon, not sure what the outcome would be.

        Reply
    6. osmildmay says

      January 07, 2020 at 9:40 pm

      No Probs - Thank You. The drizzle topping came out pretty good (and the cake was brill). I put loads of orange juice (well manderine) and lemon juice in the drizzle so was nice and tangy 🙂

      Reply
      • Susie says

        January 08, 2020 at 10:58 am

        Sounds delicious!

        Reply
    7. osmildmay says

      January 07, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      Hey, simply put, and about to test out in 40 ish mins. Thanks

      Reply
      • Susie says

        January 07, 2020 at 5:28 pm

        You're welcome 🙂 and thanks for the feedback.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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