Mary Berry's lemon drizzle cake, a favourite of hers since the 1960s, takes under 30 minutes to make using store cupboard ingredients. The classic treat combines a moist sponge with a zingy lemon flavour and a crunchy topping, prepared using Berry's signature "all-in-one method".
This approach means all ingredients are mixed together at the same time, saving time and reducing washing up, as ingredients can be weighed directly into the same bowl. According to the recipe, "this is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street".
Top tips for baking the perfect sponge
For the best results, Mary recommends cooking the cake in the middle of the oven at 180C. She explained: "To avoid cakes cracking, don’t bake them too high in the oven. If you do, the crust forms too soon and cracks as the cake continues to rise."
However, cracks can be charming and create pockets where the icing settles. The cake will taste delicious regardless of its appearance. The baking guru advises storing the lemon drizzle cake in an airtight container or cake tin at room temperature for up to three days. It can also be frozen for up to two months if unsliced and wrapped tightly in cling film.
Ingredients and method
For the cake, you will need 225g of butter or baking spread at room temperature (plus extra for greasing), 225g of caster sugar, 275g of self-raising flour, one level teaspoon of baking powder, four free-range eggs, four tablespoons of milk, and two unwaxed lemons (finely grated zest only). For the glaze, you need 175g of granulated sugar and the juice of two lemons.
Start by heating the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper, leaving a small overhang for easy removal. In a large bowl, add the sugar, flour, butter, eggs, lemon zest, and baking powder, then beat together with an electric whisk until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and place it on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown, shrinking away from the sides and springy to touch. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and lemon juice for the drizzle. When the cake is out of the oven and still warm, spoon the drizzle over it. Once cool, lift it out and slice.
Why did my lemon drizzle cake sink?
If the cake sinks, the culprit may be opening the oven door too early during baking. Avoid opening the door for at least the first 20 minutes to allow the cake to develop a sturdy foundation. Mary also emphasises ensuring the oven is completely preheated before placing the cake inside.
Another reason for sinking is overmixing the ingredients or taking too long to transfer the batter to the tin and into the oven. Once wet and dry ingredients combine, the chemical leavening agents in the flour and baking powder activate. Working quickly to get the batter baking prevents it from deflating before the second rising reaction occurs when heat is applied.
