Mothers Day Lemon Drizzle Cake (Printable)

Moist lemon cake with tangy drizzle and fresh edible flowers, perfect for festive gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
02 - 8 oz caster sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 8 oz self-raising flour
05 - Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
06 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Lemon Drizzle

08 - Juice of 2 lemons
09 - 4.4 oz icing sugar

→ Decoration

10 - 2 tablespoons icing sugar for dusting, optional
11 - Assorted edible flowers such as violas, pansies, nasturtiums, or rose petals

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 2 lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and caster sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to ensure proper emulsification.
04 - Fold in the self-raising flour, lemon zest, milk, and salt until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain cake tenderness.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top with a spatula for even baking.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean.
07 - While the cake bakes, whisk together lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
08 - Once baked, leave the cake in the tin and pierce the surface all over with a skewer. While still warm, slowly pour the lemon drizzle over the cake, allowing it to absorb completely.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before carefully removing and transferring to a serving platter.
10 - Dust lightly with additional icing sugar if desired and arrange edible flowers on top immediately before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cake stays incredibly moist thanks to the warm lemon drizzle soaking in, so it tastes even better the next day.
  • Those edible flowers transform it from everyday to restaurant-worthy with almost zero extra effort.
  • You can make it in under two hours from kitchen to serving platter, which means no all-night baking stress.
02 -
  • The drizzle must go on while the cake is still warm, or it won't soak in and you'll lose that moist, tender crumb.
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the number one reason this cake turns out dense, so resist the urge to stir more than necessary.
03 -
  • If your lemons feel hard, roll them on the counter with your palm before zesting—it breaks down the skin and releases more fragrant oils.
  • For a slightly stronger lemon kick, zest one extra lemon and stir it into the drizzle before pouring it over the cake.
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