Quick & Easy Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake Recipe to Bake Today!
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This Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake is the perfect blend of zesty sweetness and soft, buttery sponge.
Quick to prepare and bursting with lemon flavor, it’s ideal for satisfying your sweet tooth in a flash.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a kitchen newbie, you’ll love how simple this recipe is—so keep reading for all the juicy details!
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Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake Recipe:
Number of Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Why You’ll Love Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
- It’s ready in under an hour with minimal prep time—just 10 minutes! A lemon loaf cake mix makes this recipe easy for everyone.
- The cake has a bright and tangy lemon flavor from fresh lemon juice and a sweet lemon glaze that soaks into the soft lemon sponge for irresistible moistness.
- Perfect for afternoon tea, casual get-togethers, bake sales, or as a quick dessert for weeknight dinners.
Cake Mix Cakes
We love using boxes of cake mix—so many flavors are available, and they’re quick and easy to make baked goods!
Boxed cake mixes became popular in the post-WWII era when brands like Betty Crocker and Pillsbury made them mainstream. These mixes offered convenience and consistency, appealing to busy homemakers looking for quick baking solutions.
Most cake mixes require the addition of eggs, water, and oil (this was to make homemakers feel like they weren’t “cheating” when using the boxed mix!), but we like to elevate cake mixes using eggs, milk, and butter instead.
Never be stuck for lemon-flavored desserts again, with our massive list of 175+ Of The Best Lemon Desserts For Easter & Spring!
Ingredients for Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
The ingredients and tools for this recipe are conveniently linked to online retailers, including Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart. The quantities are in the recipe card.
- Lemon Cake Mix—Plus large eggs, milk, and butter to enrich the cake.
- Powdered Sugar—Also known as Icing Sugar or Confectioners Sugar.
- Lemon Juice—Freshly squeezed.
- To Decorate—Add thin slices of lemon as a final flourish.
The complete ingredient list, along with their measurements, is provided on the recipe card. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide measurements in US customary, imperial, and metric units. Still, it’s essential to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial units (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric units (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).
Substitutions and Variations
- Extra Zest: Add 1 tsp of fresh lemon zest to the cake batter for an extra punch of lemon flavour.
- Citrus Mix: Combine the lemon cake with an orange or lime glaze instead. Simply use their juice when making the glaze.
- Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes: Cake mixes can be baked in many forms! Instead of loaf tins, bake the mixture in a cupcake pan with liners.
Recipe Tips
- Ensure eggs, milk, and butter are at room temperature for a smoother mixture.
- If you prefer to stick to the box instructions, that’s fine too!
- Use an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) to ensure a well-mixed cake batter.
- Use a skewer or toothpick to poke small holes in the cake before drizzling to help the lemon glaze soak in.
- Bake cakes in disposable loaf pans for bake sales, potlucks, or gifting. You won’t have to worry about getting your pan back!
Storing Leftovers
With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing
- Freeze the baked cake without glaze. Ensure it has cooled to room temperature.
- You can freeze the whole cake or individual slices.
- Wrap the cake in parchment paper (greaseproof paper), followed by a double layer of plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil (or an airtight, freezer-safe container) to help prevent freezer burn and eliminate unwanted freezer smells.
- To keep track of your food storage, label it with the dish name, freezing date, thawing instructions, and reheating instructions.
- Store in the freezer for up to one month.
- Thaw at room temperature. Glaze as in the lemon drizzle cake recipe card, or add some lemon syrup.
Food Safety:
- For the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods, consult the Food Standards Agency in your country: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA) | Food Inspection Agency (Canada) | Food Standards (AU and NZ).
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake Recipe: Step-by-Step
Here’s our quick visual guide. Continue scrolling for the printable recipe card.
1. Whisk cake mix with eggs, milk, and butter
2. Pour into a greased loaf tin. Scrape down the bowl so it all gets transferred!
3. Bake until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out without crumbs.
4. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the glaze.
5. Spoon glaze over the cooled lemon cake.
6. Decorate with sliced lemons.
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Printable Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake Recipe Card
The printable recipe card is below. Please leave a star rating and quick review to share your experience with others!
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box of lemon cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Spray a (9×5/standard/1 lb) loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.
- Add the cake mix, eggs, milk, and softened butter to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes to cool, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with lemon juice* in a mixing bowl.
- Transfer the cooled cake to a serving platter and use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Decorate with thinly sliced lemon if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Dinner Menu Suggestions
You’ve made the dessert, but what about other courses? Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or a special meal:
- Appetizer: Garlic Parmesan Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Dip
- Soup: Lemon Chicken Soup
- Salad: Spring Potato Salad
- Main Dish: Pistachio-Crusted Salmon
- Side Dish: Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
- Beverage: Strawberry Lemonade Margaritas
Judy
April 7, 2025 @ 7:19 pm
Just tried this lemon drizzle loaf and I loved how light and zesty it turned out! ✨ The texture was spot on—not too dense, not too crumbly—and the lemon syrup really takes it to the next level. I also appreciated how simple the steps were (no fuss, no fancy tools!).
Thank you for such a delightful recipe—definitely adding this to my regular baking list!