Mothers Day Lemon Drizzle Cake (Printable)

Moist lemon cake with tangy drizzle and floral topping, a delightful treat for gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup caster sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 2 cups 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 - 1 cup icing sugar

→ Decoration

10 - 2 tablespoons icing sugar for dusting, optional
11 - Assorted edible flowers (violas, pansies, nasturtiums, rose petals)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (160°C fan). Grease and line a 2-pound loaf tin with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
04 - Fold in the self-raising flour, lemon zest, milk, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top with a spatula.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, or 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 make the drizzle.
08 - Once baked, leave the cake in the tin and poke holes all over the top using a skewer. While still warm, slowly pour the drizzle over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
09 - Let the cake cool completely in the tin before removing.
10 - Transfer to a serving platter. Dust lightly with extra icing sugar if desired, and decorate with edible flowers just before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The drizzle creates this gorgeous sticky-tender crumb that stays moist for days, unlike some lemon cakes that dry out by the next morning.
  • Those edible flowers turn a simple cake into something that looks like you fussed for hours when it honestly takes twenty minutes to decorate.
  • It's foolproof enough for a first-timer but feels impressive enough to serve at a proper celebration.
02 -
  • Don't skip poking the holes—it's the only way the drizzle reaches the interior and creates that signature moist texture that makes people ask for your recipe.
  • Room temperature butter and eggs genuinely matter here; if they're too cold, the batter doesn't emulsify properly and you'll end up with a denser, less fluffy cake than intended.
  • Edible flowers must be specifically grown for consumption or sourced from a trusted supplier—florist flowers are treated with pesticides and absolutely not safe to eat.
03 -
  • If you can't find unwaxed lemons, scrub regular ones under warm water before zesting to reduce any waxy coating that might affect taste.
  • Make the drizzle slightly thicker than you think you need it—it will be absorbed more evenly than a runny one, and the cake will feel more luxurious on the tongue.
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