Mothers Day Lemon Drizzle Cake (Printable Version)

Moist lemon drizzle with tangy glaze and edible flowers, ideal for spring gatherings and celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the 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

→ For the Lemon Drizzle

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

→ For 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 the oven to 350°F (160°C fan). Grease and line a 2 lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 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 well after each addition to ensure proper emulsification.
04 - Fold in the self-raising flour, lemon zest, milk, and salt until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top with a spatula.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - While the cake bakes, mix the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl to create the drizzle.
08 - Once baked, leave the cake in the tin and pierce the top all over with a skewer. While still warm, slowly pour the drizzle over the cake, allowing it to soak in gradually.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing.
10 - Transfer to a serving platter. Dust lightly with additional icing sugar if desired, and decorate with edible flowers just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The drizzle soaks right into warm cake, creating pockets of intense lemon flavour that shop-bought versions can't match.
  • Those edible flowers turn a simple cake into something Instagram-worthy, making anyone feel celebrated without fussy decorating skills.
  • It's genuinely foolproof, using the creaming method that rarely goes wrong, even on days when your kitchen confidence is low.
02 -
  • The drizzle must go on while the cake is still warm, or it won't absorb properly and will just sit on the surface like icing.
  • Edible flowers must actually be edible and pesticide-free; regular florist flowers are treated with chemicals and aren't safe, so buy them specifically labeled as edible.
  • Don't skip the cooling step in the tin; it's not decoration time, it's structural integrity time.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly than cold ones, so take your eggs and butter out of the fridge about an hour before you start.
  • If you want extra lemon intensity, add a tiny bit of lemon zest directly to the drizzle mixture before pouring it on.
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