Lemon Drizzle Cake
One of my lovely subscribers threw a challenge my way. She’s been wrestling with cakes that wouldn’t behave – collapsing at the worst possible moment! So, I rolled up my sleeves and took on the challenge of creating a lemon drizzle cake recipe that would stand tall, and taste like a slice of heaven.🍋
Now, who doesn’t adore a well-made lemon drizzle cake? Besides my husband, a confirmed “lemon hater”. Mind you, I gave him some, and he still ate it. Getting it just right can be tricky. That’s why I’m excited to share this foolproof recipe with you, crafted with love and some zest-filled Thermomix magic.
Why make the Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe from scratch
I love creating recipes from scratch. There’s something incredibly satisfying about turning simple ingredients into extraordinary dishes. But this lemon drizzle cake was something special. Whether you make a Thermomix lemon drizzle cake or use the conventional method, it’s a joyful celebration of all things lemony!
For those who’ve faced the same cake-collapsing debacle, I’ve got your back. I delved into my culinary arsenal and whipped up a lemon drizzle that’s a perfect marriage of zing and sweetness. It has all the qualities you’d expect from a classic lemon loaf, minus the frustration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Simply substitute the self-raising flour with a gluten-free self-raising flour blend. The texture might be slightly different, but it will still be delicious.
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, this cake will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
While fresh is best for maximum flavour, you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Just remember that the taste might not be as vibrant.
Good question, It has to do with the volume of batter poured into a tall walled loaf tin. The batter in the centre has to cook through, so if your cake looks cooked on top, check with a skewer that the centre is done. Use a toothpick or metal skewer. You can always add a baking paper-lined foil cap if the top is ready before the inside.
It’s normal for a sweet loaf cake of this size to split on top. It’s due to the batter inside pushing up through the top that cooks through faster. You can slow it down by adding a baking paper-lined foil cap at the start of baking, but you have to know when to take it off so your batter doesn’t rise and stick to it; I’d instead just let it split.
Additional Information
This Lemon Drizzle Cake is not just delicious; it’s also a healthier alternative to many store-bought cakes. Lemons are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, boosting your immune system and promoting healthy skin. Plus, you’re avoiding artificial preservatives or additives by making it at home.
Lemon Drizzle Cake
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becs-table.com.auEquipment
- 1 Thermomix or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 3 eggs large
- 260 g caster sugar
- 225 g butter softened for stand mixer / cold cubes for TM
- 10 g lemon rind grated *see tips
- 300 g plain flour all-purpose
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 190 g milk
- ¼ tsp flaked sea salt or ⅛th tsp of fine sea salt
For the Lemon Syrup:
- 100 g icing sugar
- 60 g fresh lemon juice
You'll need:
- 1 loaf pan 24cm x 10cm x 10cm 9” x 4” x 4”
Instructions
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Thermomix Method for the batter:
- Start by reading the whole recipe, including the tips.
- Prepare your loaf pan by lining it with baking paper, set your oven to 170°C fan
- Weigh the flour, baking powder and salt into the TM bowl MC in, mix for 3 sec/speed 6, remove and set aside.
- Weigh the sugar and lemon rind (no pith) into the TM bowl and grate for 5 sec/speed 8, scrape down and lift from the base, then repeat.
- Weigh the cubes of cold butter into the TM bowl and mix 30 sec/speed 6.
- Scrape down the sides and lift the butter from the base of the bowl, then insert the butterfly. Prepare all your ingredients ready to add to the TM. Place your eggs in one bowl, milk in a jug, and have the flour mix you prepared earlier at the ready.
- Set the TM to speed 3.5, add one egg from the bowl, then take two heaped tablespoons of the flour and add them to the TM bowl one at a time while the blades are still running. Continue with the remainder of the eggs in a steady slow stream or one at a time, stop when combined and scrape down.
- With the remainder of the dry ingredients and the milk at the ready, set the TM back to speed 3.5 and with the blades running, add the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients ½ at a time alternating them.
- This batter should be quite thick; place it into the prepared loaf pan and bake it on the middle shelf of your oven. You may have to turn the pan around ½ way through the baking process as I have done.
- This loaf will take a while to bake. Mine took 55 mins. Start checking at 40 minutes to get an idea of how yours is going. Bake until an inserted skewer comes out clean, or the Internal temp reaches 95°C in the centre.
Method for the syrup:
- While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar together and leave to rest until the cake comes out of the oven. You can cook this out a little, but I prefer the zing that the fresh lemon gives.
- As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, then gently pour over the syrup and leave it to rest until completely cooled and absorbed.
- Once cool, carefully ease the cake from the baking pan and remove the baking paper.
- Just before serving, sift a little more icing sugar over the top for presentation.
Conventional Method for the batter:
- Start by reading the whole recipe, including the tips.
- Prepare your loaf pan by lining it with baking paper, set your oven to 170°C fan
- Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and mix well with a spoon or balloon whisk. Set aside.
- Place the sugar and grated lemon rind (no pith) into the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the softened cubes of butter and beat until pale in colour.
- Prepare all your ingredients ready to add to the Mixer. Place your eggs in one bowl, milk in a jug, and have the flour mix you prepared earlier at the ready.
- With your mixer on low speed add one egg from the bowl, then take two heaped tablespoons of the flour and add. Continue with the remainder of the eggs in a steady slow stream or one at a time, stop when combined and scrape down.
- With the remainder of the dry ingredients and the milk at the ready, set the Mixer back to medium and add the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients ½ at a time alternating them. Mix until well combined but avoid overmixing.
- This batter should be quite thick; place it into the prepared loaf pan and bake it on the middle shelf of your oven. You may have to turn the pan around ½ way through the baking process as I have done.
- This loaf will take a while to bake. Mine took 55 mins. Start checking at 40 minutes to get an idea of how yours is going. Bake until an inserted skewer comes out clean, or the Internal temp reaches 95°C in the centre. Check "method for the syrup" while the cake is baking.
Method for the syrup:
- While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar together and leave to rest until the cake comes out of the oven. You can cook this out a little, but I prefer the zing that the fresh lemon gives.
- As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, then gently pour over the syrup and leave it to rest until completely cooled and absorbed.
- Once cool, carefully ease the cake from the baking pan and remove the baking paper. Just before serving, sift a little more icing sugar over the top for presentation.
Video
Notes
- Thermomix – If you place your butterfly into the TM bowl and set it to rotate, if it doesn’t move, remove it and remix butter for 3 seconds/speed 6, then place the butterfly back in position. It won’t move until your butter is just at the right texture but don’t overdo it, or your butter will be too soft, and you’ll end up with a gluey dense cake.
- You can add more lemon zest to the base cake if you wish. I used the rind of 2 (whole medium-sized lemons), peeled them, making sure there was no pith, then grinding them in my TM with the sugar. You could add up to 4, depending on their size. I like to choose lemons that have no wax or scrub off the wax with warm water before peeling.
- It’s normal for a loaf to have a crack on the top; it’s all about how it bakes with so much batter to rise and very little space on the surface. If you want the loaf to be flatter on the top, add a baking strip around the outside of the tin. This will help prevent the heat from setting the sides in place before it has a chance to rise but be warned it will take longer to bake through. You can also leave a depression in the batter as I have in the image I’ve shared.
- Don’t cut the cake until it is cold. This cake is very tender but will firm up once allowed to cool. If you pop it in a container and place it in the fridge overnight, it will be even easier to slice, and portion once chilled.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to learn more about making cakes in your Thermomix or with your stand mixer, why not check out our online course for Perfect Butter Cakes. You can do it at your own pace and chat with me by scrolling down to the end of any lesson and typing in the comment box. I love helping with cooking and baking issues. Or just browse our other cake recipes 🙂
Thank you, I am going to give it a go.
Question Can you make this in a round cake tin?
When baking a sweet loaf in a round tin instead of the traditional loaf tin, there are a few adjustments to consider:
The cooking time will likely need to be altered due to the different volume and surface area of round tins compared to loaf tins. This can impact how heat is distributed through the batter. A round tin may cook the batter more quickly because the heat is evenly distributed, and the center of the cake is closer to the edges. It’s recommended to start checking at 30 minutes, and the clean skewer test is the easiest way to determine doneness.
The texture of the cake may also differ slightly. In a loaf tin, the longer baking time results in a denser, more even crumb. In a round tin, the texture might be lighter and possibly less uniform, especially if the batter cooks faster on the edges than in the middle.
It’s definitely possible to bake in a round tin, but it’s important to keep an eye on it throughout the process. You’re looking for a golden brown top and when a skewer is inserted it should come out clean.
Hope that helps.
Can this cake be frozen? Love the sound of the recipe, need to make 3 cakes for a customer, but need to be able to freeze them.
Thank you
Esther
Hey Esther, sure you can freeze them. Wrap them well and they’ll be fine.
I have made this so many times now and is our favourite cake to take camping/travelling! It keeps so well and has such a lovely texture and taste!
Thanks, Anne, It’s a keeper. 😉