Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon drizzle cake

My favourite easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

This easy Lemon Drizzle Cake is one of my favourite cake recipes.   It is very simple and straight-forward and the resulting cake is a fantastic demonstration of how home-made cakes are better than shop-bought cakes.  It is just a lemon-flavoured sponge but, freshly-made with zingy lemon and real butter and eggs, it is a real treat.

I have decorated my cake with Candied Lemon Slices but it tastes just as good just with the drizzle!

Lemon drizzle cake

What you need to know about my easy Lemon Drizzle cake

  • First off, it is very quick and easy. After all, the clue is in the title. It is a simple loaf cake which means that it is cooked in 45 minutes. Having a drizzle, which is added immediately the cake is out of the oven, rather than an icing makes it really simple to make.
  • You need to either use unwaxed lemons or, if you are using waxed lemons (most of them are unless they specifically say that they are not) you need to wash them thoroughly before using. Otherwise, when you grate the lemon zest into the cake, you will also be adding the wax coating.
  • You can keep the cake for two or three days, wrapped in foil, but like all home-made sponge cakes it is best within a day or so. You can freeze it, wrapped in foil and then placed in a freezer bag, for up to three months.
  • I think of this as a typical cake to eat with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. It is good for parties as it is easy to slice it into portions.

Lemon drizzle cake

Other loaf cakes

I love baking and have lots of easy baking recipes for cakesbiscuits (cookies) and muffins. I especially like making loaf cakes. They are quick, easy, versatile and do not require any extra icing or decoration (unless you want to do it). If you want a basic everyday cake, look no further than a loaf cake. They are also a great base for experimenting with flavours which is a big reason for me to love them. Here are some of my favourites.

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Other lemon flavoured recipes

I love lemon in both sweet and savoury recipes. One of my favourite preserve recipes is my easy Lemon Curd. It brings a hit of zesty fresh lemon to lots of other dishes such as my Lemon Curd Ice Cream or my Lemon Pavlova.

Lemon is a great baking ingredient and I use it in lots of my cake and biscuit (cookie) recipes. My Lemon Biscuits (Cookies) are quick, easy and delicious. I combine lemon with elderflower in my Lemon Sponge Cake with Edible Flowers and in my Elderflower and Lemon cupcakes. My St Clement’s Cake has a double hit of citrus as it includes both oranges and lemons!

In savoury dishes, lemon is a great flavour partner to chicken. I make a classic Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon and Thyme and also a Morroccan-inspired stew of Lemon Chicken with Olives.

Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe

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Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 loaf cake 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake – a British classic and for good reason!  It is easy to make and tastes fantastic with zingy lemon flavouring a fresh buttery sponge.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 125 g (5 oz) butter
  • 175 g (7 oz) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 175 g (7 oz) self-raising flour
  • 4 tablespoons of milk
  • 1 lemon
  • 100 g (4 oz) icing sugar

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 degrees centigrade or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Grease a 450 g loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
  3. Cream the butter with the sugar.  (I usually soften the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave first as it makes it much easier!)
  4. Gradually add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture.  If it looks as if it is going to curdle, add some of the self-raising flour.
  5. Once the eggs have been incorporated add the rest of the self-raising flour.
  6. Add the milk and the grated zest of your lemon.
  7. Spoon the cake mixture into your prepared loaf tin.
  8. Put the tin in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  9. While the cake is baking, combine the juice from your lemon with 100 g of icing sugar to form a thick syrup.
  10. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the syrup over the top.
  11. Leave the cake in the tin to cool completely before removing.   If you try and take it out while it is still warm it may fall apart as it will be very moist due to the syrup.
  12. You can just leave it there – and I usually do!  However, if you want to decorate the cake further, you can add some Candied Lemon Slices

Keywords: lemon drizzle cake

Garlic Tart

Garlic Tart

This is a truly garlicky Garlic Tart!   Garlic haters, step away now as this is a celebration of garlicky delights.    I came up with this recipe because I wanted a tart where garlic was truly the star of the show.  It includes caramelised garlic cloves and  a savoury garlic-flavoured custard.  Although it does include cheese, its flavour is a background note.  Toasted pine-nuts are included on top to add a bit of crunch texture.

You can eat this tart at room temperature or hot from the oven. Have it for a simple supper or lunch. It is also great for picnics, buffets and lunch-boxes. You can make it ahead of time which makes it very convenient when you are entertaining.

What you need to know about this recipe

  • I generally make my own pastry. I was a late learner when it came to pastry and for years used ready-made versions. However, a few years ago I decided I had to get to grips with pastry-making and discovered how easy it is. So, if you have the time to make your own pastry, it is really worth doing as the taste will be much better than anything you can buy in the shops. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination, you can make this recipe using ready-made pastry and it will still taste pretty good.
  • Whether you are making your own pastry or using ready-made, it is really important to bake the empty pastry case in the oven for 15 minutes before you add the filling (step 3). This sets the pastry and means that it is properly cooked so it will be crisp and delicious rather than soft and soggy.
  • It is really garlicky! It uses three bulbs – yes, bulbs, not cloves – of garlic. This sounds like a lot of garlic. Actually, it is a lot of garlic! However, the cloves are blanched and then caramelised before being cooked in the tart. You end up with a rich, mellow garlic flavour which is not overpowering.
Other quiche and tart recipes

Savoury tarts and quiches are a fantastic, cook-ahead simple supper or lunch. They are easy to make and are great either hot or at room temperature. They can also be easily divided into portions if you are feeding a large number of people. Easily transportable, they also make a good addition to lunch-boxes or basis for a picnic. Some of my favourites are listed below.

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Garlic Tart recipe

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Garlic Tart

Garlic Tart

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 8
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This Garlic Tart contains caramelised garlic cloves set in a savoury garlic-flavoured custard in a crisp pasty case and is topped with toasted pinenuts.


Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry:

  • 275 g (10 oz) plain flour
  • 125 g (4 oz) fat (I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • Salt and pepper
  • A little water

For the filling:

  • 3 bulbs garlic (Note: bulbs not cloves – you need a lot of garlic for this recipe!)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon balasamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 75 g (3 oz) strong cheddar or another hard cheese
  • 200 ml (7 fl oz) cream
  • 1 tablespoon of pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  3. Roll out your pastry and use it to line your quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 20  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy!
  4. Separate your garlic bulbs into individual cloves. You do not need to peel them at this stage.  Take two cloves of garlic from one of your bulbs and set aside (See step 7).
  5. Place the remaining cloves in a pan of boiling water. Boil for 3 mins.  Remove the cloves and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Remove the skins.
  6. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the skinned garlic cloves.  Season with salt and pepper and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden.   Then add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and cook gently for a further 2 minutes until brown and sticky.
  7. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the cream, and beat until combined.  Finely grate the cheddar cheese and add to the mixture.  Peel and crush the two reserved garlic cloves and add to the mixture.
  8. Now place the caramelised garlic cloves in your pastry case.  Pour the egg mixture over them.
  9. Place your quiche or flan dish in the oven and cook for 25 minutes.   At the end of this time, scatter the pinenuts on the top of the tart and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  10. The tart can be eaten hot, room temperature or cold.

Keywords: garlic tart, garlic, vegetarian