Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake
This easy lemon drizzle cake from Mary Berry is beautifully moist with a delicious zingy kick of lemon. It’s also all mixed together in one bowl making it really easy for kids to make.
Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake is a classic treat – a mixture of moist cake with a zing from the lemon and a delicious crunchy topping. This recipe for lemon drizzle cake from Mary Berry is the best version we’ve come across. The recipe works every time and the crispy lemon drizzle topping is absolutely scrumptious.
The original version for this makes is a lemon drizzle traybake but I also like making it in a loaf tin which is the picture above, but i’ve included details for both so you can make it either way.
How can kids help make Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake?
One of the reasons we love this Mary Berry lemon drizzle cake is because it’s all mixed together in one bowl. When you’re baking with kids, being able to just bung everything together and mix it up saves so much time and mess so they’re always my favourite recipes. So your kids can practice measuring ingredients, cracking eggs and mixing.
An extra fun step which is great for toddlers and younger siblings is adding the drizzle at the end. If you give your kids a small spoon, they’ve often got a lot of patience to spoon the drizzle over really carefully!
Why has my lemon drizzle cake sunk?
This is one of the most common questions about lemon drizzle cakes. If your cake sinks in the middle there are a few things that may have caused that to happen:
- Too much raising agent. Too much baking powder will add more air to your cake than the structure can support, causing it to sink. Make sure you follow the recipe and level the tsp with your finger before adding it.
- It’s been over mixed. Don’t be tempted to mix it more than it needs (it’s easily done, when you’re using a stand mixer to help you).
- The oven was too hot/cold or the oven door was opened before the cake was ready.
- The cake batter wasn’t put in the oven straight away.
How do you store a lemon drizzle cake?
The lemon drizzle cake will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Can I freeze Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake?
A lemon drizzle cake will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Before you put it in, make sure it has cooled, then wrap it well in cling film and pop it in a freezer bag.
What size loaf tin should I use?
Our loaf tin was advertised as a 2lb tin and measures 23cm x13cm x 6cm. I’ve noticed not all 2lb loaf tins have the same dimensions so if yours differs from this, you may need to alter amount of cake batter you add to the tin. If your tin is smaller than ours, fill it 3/4 full of batter to prevent it from overflowing in the oven.
Can you make it as a traybake?
Yes. If you want to make this lemon drizzle cake into a traybake rather than as a loaf, use a 23x30cm (9×12 inches) traybake tin. You’ll need to ajust the baking time as it wont take as long to cook. Pop it in the oven for around 35-40 minutes.
What else can you make with lemons?
If you liked this lemon drizzle cake, you might like some of our other lemon recipes. They’re a great way of using up more lemons if there are a few left over in your pack. Or why not try our orange drizzle cake.
Lemon sponge cake
Mary Berry’s lemon cupcakes
Lemon biscuits
Lemon blueberry loaf
Lemon curd muffins
Lemon cheesecake
Lemon curd tarts
Mary Berry’s iced lemon traybake
Lemon drizzle cupcakes
Individual lemon tartlets
Lemon blueberry muffins
Lemon meringue pie
Lemon meringue cheesecake
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake:
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Measuring cups
Spatula
Lemon juicer
Measuring spoons
Wire rack
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Ingredients
225g (1 cup) softened butter or baking spread
225g (1 cup) caster sugar
275g (2 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
For the crunchy lemon drizzle topping
175g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
how to make Mary Berry’s easy lemon drizzle cake
Pre-heat the oven to 160C / 150C Fan / 320F and prepare your loaf tin
Get your kids to grease a 2 lb loaf tin then line the base and sides with baking or parchment paper. We find the easiest way of doing this is to cut a strip that fits across it one way, then repeat in the other direction. It’s easier than trying to cut corners to fit. Make the edges longer than the tin so you can easily lift it out once it’s baked.
Mix all the ingredients together
Get your child to help measure everything out then add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. You can do it in any order, but if you do it in the order the ingredients are listed above, you’re less likely to forget anything.
Start with the butter. If it’s not soft enough, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Don’t do it for too long as you don’t want to melt it.
Measure the sugar and flour into a small bowl then add them to your mixing bowl. Now add the baking powder. Make sure your kids use their finger to level the tea spoon so that you add just the right amount.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl (to make sure there’s no shell), then add it to your large mixing bowl/mixer. If you get some rogue shell in your eggs simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell. It’ll stick to that more easily than your finger.
Add the milk. You might find you need to hold the table spoon while they pour in the milk or vice versa.
Finally, grate the lemon zest either using a zester or the small side of your grater then add that in. If you have older children and feel confident that they wont cut their fingers you can get your child to help.
Mix everything together using the k paddle of your freestanding mixer, a hand held mixer or just wooden spoons until everything is well blended. It should have a nice soft, smooth consistency.
Bake the lemon drizzle cake
Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon get your kids to spread the batter well into the corners and level the top.
Bake it in the oven for 60-70 minutes. It’s ready when the sides have shrunk away from the tin and the middle springs back if you press it gently with your fingers. You can also check by poking a skewer or cocktail stick into the middle. When it’s ready, the skewer should come out clean.
Remove it from the oven and leave it in the tin while you make the lemon drizzle topping.
Make the crunchy lemon drizzle topping
Measure the sugar into a bowl. Then get your kids to help squeeze the lemon juice. If you blast it in the microwave for 10 seconds or so then roll it around on your worksurface you should get even more juice out of your lemon.
Mix the sugar and lemon juice together until it has mixed in and you have a runny consistency, then get your kids to spoon it over your cake while it is still a little warm. If you have some cocktail sticks or a fine skewer, you can poke some small holes right through your cake to make the drizzle go into the centre more easily.
Once the loaf has cooled, remove it from the tin, cut it into slices.
Serve and enjoy.
Mary Berry's Lemon drizzle cake
Ingredients
- 225 g softened butter
- 225 g caster sugar
- 275 g self-raising flour
- 2 level tsp baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tbsp milk
- Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
For the crunchy topping
- 175 g granulated sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 160C / 150C Fan and grease and 2 lb loaf tin (23xm x 13cm x 6cm) with baking paper
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl
- Measure the butter, sugar and flour one at a time in a small bowl and add into your large mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into a bowl, then add to your mixture. Spoon the baking powder then milk into your mixture.
- Grate the lemon then add that in. Mix everything together until it’s well blended.
Bake the lemon drizzle cake
- Pour the cake mixture into the tin until it is 3/4 full and level the top.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes (or 60-75 minutes if you're making a loaf) or until the sides have shrunk away from the tin and the middle springs back if you press it gently with your fingers.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn it out. Carefully peel the baking paper off and finish cooling on a wire rack. Stand the wire rack on a tray to catch any drips from the topping.
Make the crunchy lemon drizzle topping
- Measure the sugar into a bowl.
- Squeeze out the lemon juice. We popped ours in the microwave for 10 seconds before cutting them open to make the juice come out more easily.
- Mix the sugar and lemon juice together until you have a runny consistency then spoon over your cake while it is still a little warm.
- Cut it into about 25-30 squares once it is cooled.
Video
Notes
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Similar recipes
If you like Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake, why not try one of our other lemon bakes above, our lemon blueberry loaf or check out our favourite cake recipes.
I’ve linked this up to #BakingCrumbs linky hosted by Apply to Face Blog.
Modern Cooking says
Looks very delicious and awesome. Will definitely try this at home. Thanks for sharing.
lynn chandler says
I am just about to make this wonderful cake but I am a little confused of the timings, you mention in the recipe to bake for 35-40 mins or 60-70 if making a loaf! I thought the cake was made in loaf tin. What timing should I use
Thank you
cookingwithmykids says
60-70 minutes if you’re making it in a loaf tin. It’s also possible to make it as a traybake and that’s what the 35-40 minutes is referring to.
Sylvia says
Lovely cake. Easy to make but why doesn’t my topping go white and crunchier like yours. I use granulated sugar and same amount of lemon juice as recipe.syvia
Tracey Cridlin says
Thankyou for this wonderful recipe . I’ve tried many lemon cake recipes but yours beats them all .
Eleanor Mair says
Sadly the quantity of ingredients for a 2lb loaf tin is way too much…..overflowed onto the shelf and oven floor. Beware…….you will need a much larger tin.
cookingwithmykids says
I’ve never had a problem with this loaf overflowing from our tin but i’m sorry it didn’t work for you. I’ve added the dimensions of our loaf tin to the recipe to avoid confusion as not all tins advertised as 2lb are the same. If your tin is smaller than ours, i’d recommend filling it 3/4 of batter. Any left over batter could be turned into a cupcake.
https://amzn.to/3PDrf2m
Kathy says
This amount of mixture is too much for a 2lb loaf tin – mine also rose and leaked all over the oven. And there is no way you can get 20 slices out of a 2lb loaf tin cake.
I think you need to adjust to say – 3 Lb loaf tin or a 2 lb and a 1 lb
cookingwithmykids says
I’m sorry this happened to you, but it’s not a problem i’ve ever experienced with this recipe. For the avoidance of doubt, I’ve added the dimensions of our tin above as not all loaf tins advertised as 2lb are the same size. If your tin is small than ours i’d recommend only filling it 3/4 full. Any leftover batter would make a nice cupcake.
https://amzn.to/3PDrf2m
Chris says
Literally just made this. I used a 3lb loaf tin.
Oven may have been a tad high, but only in for about 60min. Nice sponge to it.
Allowed to cool.a bit before the drizzle. I used 140 gran and the rest caster.
Turned out really well.
cookingwithmykids says
I so glad you liked it, Helen.
Laura says
I haven’t made lemon drizzle cake for a long time and decided today to make some with my daughter. Came across this recipe and as I couldn’t find my loaf tin I made it into muffins for easy serving. It’s by far the best recipe I’ve tried and easy to follow, it made 18 cupcakes and was a great hit with the family. I will definitely save it to use again next time.
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you like it. I love how lemony it is!
Best wishes, Helen
zidane says
thank you for the recipe
Ros Wise says
Wonderful cake. Mine overflowed it’s tin, so I whipped it out, put it back on a baking tray. It continued overflowing. However, when it all came out of the oven, I drizzled the overflow too and this made a lovely taster for 3. Don’t understand overflow as the previous one I made was fine. I may try a round tin as this cake was a big hit with hubby and son.
Alison says
My boys love lemon drizzle cake. This is the best recipe I’ve tried. The only downside is the fact it doesn’t last long in my house. 🙂
cookingwithmykids says
It never lasts long in our house either. It just means you need to make another one!
Beverley says
I made this Lemon drizzle cake a few weeks ago, everyone loved it, I’m going to make it again tonight, I’ve tried different recipes, but I find this is the best one. It’s a lot sweeter.
cookingwithmykids says
Thanks for your comment, I’m so glad you like it. I agree, it’s sweet and lemony and I love it!
Rian Leishman says
As of 19/04/2023, as I’ve not made this yet but will be soon.
I’m a 21 year old who has ADHD, Dyslexia and other learning difficulties and I just wanted to say I’ve been searching for lemon drizzle recipes all evening and this one was the easiest to understand by a mile! It’s so simple and the tips given to give a better outcome are clearly written and simple; which I love!! I can’t wait to try making this! My boyfriend has requestedI make him a lemon drizzle cake for his 26th, which is on Friday 21st April. I’ll try to remember to update this with his and my thoughts.
cookingwithmykids says
Thanks for your comment, that’s lovely to hear. My goal is to make recipes simple enough for anyone to give them a go. I hope your boyfriend has a lovely birthday and the lemon drizzle cake turns out well.
Best wishes, Helen.
Zoe says
First time ever doing a lemon drizzle cake as my husband is lemon cake mad and what a complete disaster. Used a 2lb loaf tin and it went everywhere in the oven. Luckily my husband noticed it and we took it out and with nothing to lose poured it into a round tin even though it has started baking already. We pre heated the other side of the oven while doing a quick clean of the other side and it came out great even though we lost a lot of the mixture. We try this again but using a round tin in future
cookingwithmykids says
I’m sorry this happened – it’s never been a problem for us. Perhaps our 2lb loaf tin is deeper than yours. I’d recommend only filling the tin 3/4 full to try and prevent it over spilling in the future.
Cathy Nash says
I’ve made lots of lemon drizzle cakes in my time with varying dégrées of success, I’m 73 years old. I think this is possibly the best so far! It was easy to make and I loved all the tips at the beginning – lining a loaf tin that way was an inspiration to me. I know my grandsons will be asking when I’m making the next one.
cookingwithmykids says
Thanks, that’s so lovely to hear.
Ravi says
60-70 minutes seems too long, but lovely cake!
cookingwithmykids says
It’s quite a low heat so 60-70 minutes works when we make it. If you find yours is ready sooner, you can remove it from the oven once a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Julie says
Beautiful cake but my lemon sauce didn’t go crunchy on top
cookingwithmykids says
I’m glad you enjoyed the cake. I’m not sure why it wouldn’t have gone crunchy – did you use granulated sugar for the drizzle? If all the sugar’s gone on top, i’m not sure why it wouldn’t be crunchy.
Rachel says
Could you swap out the butter for stork in this recipe?
cookingwithmykids says
Yes. The last time I made this I used Stork rather than butter and it worked perfectly.
Emma says
I’m caring for a man with a learning disability after he communicated non-verbally that lemon drizzle is his favourite cake – it was delicious! The best recipe I’ve tried, so simple with the basic ingredients we had to hand, and it was light, moist and fluffy.
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you liked it. (Lemon drizzle cake is my favourite cake too!)
Phylis Patterson says
First time making a lemon drizzle cake it was delicious, will make it again.
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you liked it – lemon drizzle cake is my favourite!
Fee says
First time I have made a lemon drizzle cake – it was fantastic , really enjoyed it ,very moist and easy to make. Will be making it again and again.
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you liked it. It’s one of my favourites too!
linda says
First time making this , it came out perfect . My sister had some and said omg it’s lovely . Will definitely make again
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know – it’s always nice to hear that someone has enjoyed something. 🙂
Jenny Walters says
I love a good Lemon Drizzle and this one looks like it’s literally dripping with lemony loveliness. What a great job for the kids to do at the end and I love the idea of making it into a tray bake rather than a loaf. So much easier to get that syrup in there. Thank you so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs
cookingwithmykids says
I forget how much I love lemon drizzle (i’m so easily tempted with chocolate) but am always glad when I make it!
Treat and Trick says
This looks incredibly moist and thanks for your lovely comment. I too have a lemon cake but slightly different from yours. Happy holidays!
Jackie black says
After many baking free years I tried Mary’s Madeira cake and decided to try this drizzle cake yesterday Total disaster my query would be oven temperature 140 fan ? Cake baked on sides middle was raw Going to try again but with warmer oven
cookingwithmykids says
I’m glad you’ve rediscovered baking after many years. The cake worked for me, but perhaps my oven runs hotter – i’ll add a note to the recipe.
Leia Charleson says
I agree – I had to convert to gas temp 3 and after 35 mins it was still pale and runny – turned the temptation to 4 and left it another fifteen mins maybe twenty and then wow ! What a wonderful cake ?thank you !