Lemon Cake Recipe (With Lemon Drizzle)

This Lemon Cake is soft, moist and full of lemon flavor. I make it with butter, milk, condensed milk, and whole wheat flour, so the texture comes close to a simple Lemon Pound Cake. The lemon drizzle on top brings a bright tang and keeps the cake tender. If you enjoy Lemon Drizzle Cake, this is an easy homemade version using everyday ingredients.

Why This Lemon Cake Recipe Works

This lemon cake recipe is my homemade version of a simple lemon pound cake. It has a soft, rich crumb from butter and condensed milk, and a clean lemon flavor from fresh zest and lemon juice.

I make it when I want an easy tea-time cake with a bright citrus taste. The recipe is adapted from my Pound Cake Recipe which has a moist and rich texture.

As a pastry chef, I like keeping citrus cakes straightforward. Fresh zest gives most of the flavor, and the lemon juice balances the sweetness without making the cake sharp.

This version uses simple pantry ingredients and gives you a nice lemon loaf that slices well and stays soft after cooling.

You don’t need anything complicated for this. Whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour, butter, milk, sugar and fresh lemons are enough.

The batter comes together quickly in one bowl, and the lemon drizzle adds a gentle tang on top. It gives the cake a fresh lift and keeps the surface moist.

Most of the flavor comes from the zest, so use good lemons and grate only the yellow part. The white pith underneath can make the cake bitter.

I usually zest 2 to 3 large lemons and extract about ¼ cup juice, which is enough to flavor the whole loaf.

You can keep this cake simple or adjust the sweetness and glaze to your liking.  Use whole wheat flour for a homestyle crumb or maida for a lighter texture.

The glaze can be thin or thick depending on how much lemon juice you add. The lemon cake stays soft and cuts cleanly once cooled, which makes it good for tea-time or a simple dessert.

More Fruit Based Cakes To Try

• Date Cake
• Fruit Cake
• Apple Cake
• Mango Cake
• Strawberry Cake

How to Make Lemon Cake

Making this lemon cake is simple. Begin with the flour mixture, combine the wet ingredients separately, and then bring everything together for a smooth batter.

Sift Dry Ingredients

1. Sift 1½ cups or (180 grams) whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 pinch salt (optional) into a bowl.

Sifting helps the cake rise evenly and removes lumps in the flour.

2. Set the sifted dry mixture aside. Meanwhile preheat your oven at 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) for 20 minutes.

Prep Lemons

3. Wash the lemons and pat them dry. Zest 2 to 3 large lemons to get about 1 tablespoon zest for the cake and 1 teaspoon of it for the sugar glaze.

Tip: Make sure you grate only the yellow part of the peel and preferably use a microplane or a fine grater.

4. Extract ¼ cup fresh lemon juice for the cake and 1 tablespoon of the juice for the sugar glaze icing. Keep both the lemon juice and zest aside.

Tip: To juice the lemons, preferably use a lemon press.

5. Grease a regular loaf pan with softened butter or line it with parchment.

Melt Butter & Make Liquid Mixture

6. Melt 100 grams butter gently on a low heat. Just melt it, don’t heat it till hot.

7. Stir so it stays smooth and even in temperature. Remove the pan from heat and place it on your kitchen countertop.

8. Add ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup whole milk, ½ cup sugar (100 grams) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the melted butter.

9. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon for 4 to 5 minutes till the mixture looks smooth and combined evenly. The sugar must also be entirely dissolved.

Note: If the butter starts solidifying, warm the pan on very low heat for a few seconds until the butter melts again.

Make Batter

10. Pour the wet mixture to the sifted dry ingredients in the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest.

11. Add ¼ cup fresh lemon juice.

12. Fold gently to a medium-thick batter. Do not over-mix.

Note: Form a medium-thick batter. But depending on the quality and texture of flour, you can opt for a batter with a medium consistency. If the batter looks very thick, add in a few tablespoons of milk.

Bake Lemon Cake

13. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the top.

Place the loaf pan with the cake batter in the oven. Bake at 180°C for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean or with a few crumbs on it.

Tip: If the top browns too quickly, cover with parchment and continue baking.

14. Remove the pan from the oven can check the cake with a skewer. There should be no sticky batter on the skewer.

If you find any batter clinging on the skewer, place the loaf tin or pan back in the oven and bake for some more minutes.

15. Once the lemon cake is well baked, place the loaf pan on a wired rack to cool. Let the cake cool completely before you begun icing it.

Make Lemon Glaze Icing

16. In a mixing bowl, take ½ cup confectioners sugar (50 grams), 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

Note: Powdered sugar, confectioners’ sugar, and icing sugar are the same ingredient, so you can use any of them.

17. Mix thoroughly with a wired whisk to get a smooth glaze without any lumps. For a thinner glaze, add 1 more tablespoon lemon juice or a little water.

Make Lemon Drizzle Cake

18. Once the cake is cooled, remove it from the loaf pan and place it on the wire rack.  Keep a tray below the wire rack.

19. Drizzle the lemon glaze on the loaf all over. Gently spread it with an offset spatula or a spoon on the top and the sides of the loaf.

20. Allow the glaze icing to set and thicken, for about 30 to 40 minutes.

21. Slice the Lemon Cake and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers in an air-tight container.

Serving Suggestions

This lemon cake is good on its own, but you can serve it with:

• a light dusting of icing sugar
• a spoon of whipped cream
• a fresh berry compote
• a cup of tea or coffee

The lemon drizzle adds enough sweetness, so you don’t need extra toppings unless you want to dress it up for guests.

Storage

• Keep the lemon pound cake in an airtight box at room temperature for 1 to 2 days in a cooler climate.
• In warm weather, refrigerate straightaway. It stays good for about a week in the fridge.
• Bring the cake to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
• You can also freeze slices. Wrap each slice well and freeze for up to one month. Thaw and warm slightly before eating.

Dassana’s Baking Tips

1. Fresh Lemons: Use fresh lemons for the best flavour. Bottled juice doesn’t give the same aroma and flavor.
2. Zesting Lemons: Zest only the yellow peel. The white layer underneath can make the cake slightly bitter.
3. Folding Cake Batter: Don’t overmix the batter. Fold just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
4. Flour Variants: Whole wheat flour makes the crumb a bit denser. If you want a lighter texture, use all-purpose flour. You can also make this cake pastry flour. 
5. Adjusting Consistency: If the batter looks too thick, add a splash of milk.
6. Quick Browning: If the lemon cake browns too fast on top, loosely cover it with parchment paper and continue baking.
7. More Lemon Flavor: For a stronger lemon taste, increase the zest slightly or brush warm lemon juice on the cake before glazing. You can even use fresh limes instead of lemons to make a lime cake.
8. Sugar: While I use organic sugar, feel free to use white granulated sugar or brown sugar. If you prefer reduce the sugar for a lesser sweet taste. 
9. Adding Salt: If using salted butter do not add salt. 

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