Lemon Cake Recipe (With Lemon Drizzle)

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Lemon Cake Recipe (With Lemon Drizzle)

This homemade Lemon Cake recipe make for a soft and moist cake with a bright citrus flavour. The cake is made with butter, milk, condensed milk, whole wheat flour, sugar, lemon juice and zest. The cake and has a pound cake like texture and a rich flavor. A simple lemon drizzle adds more tang and keeps the cake tender.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: British, World

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings: Loaf

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1.5 cups or (180 grams) whole wheat flour
1 pinch salt – optional, skip if using salted butter
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

100 grams Butter – unsalted
½ cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup or (100 grams) sugar – adjust as needed
¼ cup lemon juice – freshly juiced and not bottled
1 tablespoon lemon zest – zest from 2 to 3 large lemons

Lemon Sugar Glaze

½ cup or (50 grams) confectioner's sugar (icing sugar or powdered sugar)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparation

Sift the dry ingredients once and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) for 20 minutes.
Zest 2 to 3 large lemons to get about 1 tablespoon zest for the cake and 1 teaspoon zest for the icing. Use a microplane or fine grater.
Extract ¼ cup fresh lemon juice for the cake and 1 tablespoon juice for the icing from the same lemons and keep aside.
Grease a loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
Melt the butter gently on a low heat. Just melt it, don’t heat it till hot. Stir so it melts evenly and stays at the same warm temperature.

Make Batter

Place the pan with melted butter on the kitchen counter.
Add condensed milk, milk, sugar and vanilla.
Mix well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and evenly mixed. Ensure that the sugar granules are also dissolved.
If the butter starts firming up, warm the pan on very low heat for a few seconds so it loosens.
Pour this wet mixture into the sifted dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Assemble & Bake Lemon Cake

Fold everything gently into a medium-thick batter. Fold only till the mixture looks even. Don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake at 180°C (356°F) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
Set the loaf pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool.
When cooled, remove the cake from the pan and place it back on the rack.
Keep a tray below the rack to catch the sugar glaze.

Make Lemon Drizzle Cake

In a bowl, whisk the confectioners sugar or icing sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and even.
Drizzle the glaze over the cake.
Lightly spread it over the top and sides with an offset spatula or spoon.
Let the glaze set for 30 to 40 minutes.
Slice and serve lemon drizzle cake.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the lemon cake as it is, or with a cup of tea or coffee.
You can also add a light dusting of icing sugar on the lemon pound cake before serving.
For a slightly richer touch, pair it with whipped cream or a spoon of fresh berries. It works well as a small dessert after meals or as a tea-time snack.

Storage

Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days in a cooler weather. In warm weather, refrigerate after the first day.
The lemon cake 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 for up to a month. Wrap them well while freezing. Thaw and warm slightly before eating.

Notes

Use fresh lemons for the best flavor. Bottled juice doesn’t give the same aroma.
Zest only the yellow peel. The white layer underneath can make the cake slightly bitter.
Don’t overmix the batter. Fold just until the dry ingredients are incorporated evenly.
Whole wheat flour makes the crumb a bit denser. If you want a lighter texture, use all-purpose flour or pastry flour.
If the batter looks too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk.
If the cake browns too fast on top, loosely cover it with parchment and continue baking.
For a stronger lemon taste, increase the zest slightly or brush warm lemon juice on the cake before glazing.
Note that the approximate nutrition info is for 1 slice of the lemon drizzle cake.

Nutrition