Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf is quick and easy to prepare, ideal for unexpected visitors and great for a bake sale.
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.)
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 Wraps – 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:
Lemon Bundt Cake
Lemon and Elderflower Cake
Marmalade Loaf Cake
Stockists
Buy Now → 
Baking parchment loaf tin liner
Buy Now →
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → Recipe
Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf
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
Equipment
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 zestYou 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.
Sorrel says
If this lemon drizzle loaf is baked and frozen for a few days, will the crunchiness from the lemon and sugar sprinkled over the cake be retained?
teresa murphy says
Love this recipe, best lemon drizzle ever made. Very light and lemon flavouring just perfect. I have shared this recipe with family and friends.
Wondering do you have a recipe for coconut loaf cake.
Mimimouse says
I've made your lemon drizzle a few times and it's very nice but the topping is not crystallised and crunchy like I'd like it to be. Do you put the drizzle on immediately after taking it out of the oven (which is what I've done) or do you wait for it to cool a bit? If so, how long for?
Susie Collings says
I let the cake cool a little. That should avoid the sugar being totally dissolved and absorbed into the cake.
Hilda says
Just love your all in one cakes.Have made this lemon drizzle cake over and over again,always perfect.
Peter says
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?
Susie Collings says
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
Phoebe says
Hi this looks nice, would it work in a round cake tin instead of a loaf tin?
Susie Collings says
Hi Phoebe, Here is a recipe for a Round Lemon Drizzle Cake. Cheers - Susie
Peter says
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.
Susie Collings says
Hi Peter, Classic recipes are the best! We love a lemon drizzle cake in our house. Cream sounds like a very good idea 🙂
Sharon says
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
Susie Collings says
Hi Sharon. You're welcome 🙂 So pleased you like the cake. Cheers - Susie
Peter says
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.
osmildmay says
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 🙂
Susie says
Sounds delicious!
osmildmay says
Hey, simply put, and about to test out in 40 ish mins. Thanks
Susie says
You're welcome 🙂 and thanks for the feedback.