I make this easy lemon drizzle cake recipe all the time because it doesn’t involve any unnecessary processes normally associated with baking. No creaming together of butter and sugar. No sifting of dry ingredients. Just a quick mix through of the ingredients and away you go (although you could totally use a stand mixer too). The key to this cake being so soft and tender is the use of plain yoghurt and oil in the batter. The lemon zest infuses its delicious perfume through the sponge and the zingy lemon icing finishes everything off perfectly. I made a relatively runny icing because I wanted it to sink into the cake a little but you can always use less water if you want a thicker icing. Which would you prefer? Serve generous slices of this sunshine-in-cake-form with coffee/tea for the ultimate afternoon snack.
Ingredients needed
Flour. I used cake flour but all purpose flour works just as well. Baking powder. Salt. Plain yogurt. I usually use Greek yogurt but any plain yogurt can be substituted. Eggs. Oil. Canola oil, avocado oil or even olive oil can be used. Sugar. Vanilla extract. Fresh lemons. Both the lemon zest and lemon juice will be used.
How to make lemon drizzle cake
Pre-heat the oven and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients and whisk all the wet ingredients together in a measuring jug. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and place in the oven to bake until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack then pour over the lemon glaze and serve.
How to make icing for lemon drizzle cake
Depending on the thickness you want, you can use more or less lemon juice and even add milk to make it thinner. For an icing that soaks into the cake, using 2 cups of icing/powdered sugar with ½-¾ cup of liquid will result in a thin icing. For a thicker icing, use less liquid or add more icing sugar. Whisk the powdered sugar and liquid together in a large bowl until completely smooth before pouring over the baked cake. For intense lemony flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the glaze.
Lemon cake recipes
