Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

This is easy lemon drizzle cake is one of my favourite cakes by far. It’s light and tasty without being sickly (which means you can eat more!) Don’t panic that it’ll be too dry though – the addition of milk and the lemon syrup drizzle topping makes it deliciously moist. You can swap the butter for margarine, but we warned it won’t hold as well, the advantage of swapping though leaves you with a super light cake and you don’t have to remember to leave it out to bring to room temperature like you do with butter.

Also, with it being an all-in style cake, my toddler can help make it as it’s super easy and pretty fail-safe. He helps me weigh out all the ingredients and once we have everything ready he loves helping to put them all in then holding the whisk with me. Just remember to get the topping ready while the cake is baking so the sugar has time to dissolve. 

Ingredients

Cake

  • 100g softened butter (room temperature)
  • 175g self-raising flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6 tbsp milk
  • Finely grated rind of 1 large lemon

Topping

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 100g caster sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4, 180C or fan oven 160C. Line and grease the base of a square or loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Mix all the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisking for 2-3 minutes and until the mixture drops easily off the spoon.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. (place a clean knife in the centre to test, if it comes out clean it’s good to go.)
  4. For the icing, beat together the lemon juice and sugar and pour the mixture evenly over the cake once cooked but while it is still hot. Make sure you’ve turned it out onto a cooling rack first.
  5. Once cooled cut into slices or squares and it will keep for up to a week if wrapped in foil or in an airtight container. (Not that it EVER lasts longer than a couple of days in my house!)

What are your favourite family-friendly bakes? Leave us a comment below, or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more yummy ideas, check these out:

Easy pancakes recipe | 5 tips for baking with kids | Rainbow cupcakes recipe | Easter nest fairy cakes Picnic hacks for parents | Best places to eat out with kids in the UK | Healthy snacks for kids 100 indoor activities

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