This homemade Lemon Cake recipe make for a soft and moist cake with a bright citrus flavour. The cake is made with butter, milk, condensed milk, whole wheat flour, sugar, lemon juice and zest. The cake and has a pound cake like texture and a rich flavor. A simple lemon drizzle adds more tang and keeps the cake tender.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 1 · 1 Loaf
  • Category: Desserts
  • Cuisine: British, World

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups or (180 grams) whole wheat flour
  • 1 pinch salt (– optional, skip if using salted butter)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 100 grams butter (– unsalted)
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence)
  • ½ cup or (100 grams) sugar (– adjust as needed)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice (– freshly juiced and not bottled)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (– zest from 2 to 3 large lemons)
  • ½ cup or (50 grams) confectioner's sugar ((icing sugar or powdered sugar))
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Method

Preparation

  1. Sift the dry ingredients once and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) for 20 minutes.
  3. Zest 2 to 3 large lemons to get about 1 tablespoon zest for the cake and 1 teaspoon zest for the icing. Use a microplane or fine grater.
  4. Extract ¼ cup fresh lemon juice for the cake and 1 tablespoon juice for the icing from the same lemons and keep aside.
  5. Grease a loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
  6. Melt the butter gently on a low heat. Just melt it, don’t heat it till hot. Stir so it melts evenly and stays at the same warm temperature.

Make Batter

  1. Place the pan with melted butter on the kitchen counter.
  2. Add condensed milk, milk, sugar and vanilla.
  3. Mix well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and evenly mixed. Ensure that the sugar granules are also dissolved.
  4. If the butter starts firming up, warm the pan on very low heat for a few seconds so it loosens.
  5. Pour this wet mixture into the sifted dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  6. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Assemble & Bake Lemon Cake

  1. Fold everything gently into a medium-thick batter. Fold only till the mixture looks even. Don’t overmix.
  2. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  3. Bake at 180°C (356°F) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  4. Set the loaf pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool.
  5. When cooled, remove the cake from the pan and place it back on the rack.
  6. Keep a tray below the rack to catch the sugar glaze.

Make Lemon Drizzle Cake

  1. In a bowl, whisk the confectioners sugar or icing sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and even.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.
  3. Lightly spread it over the top and sides with an offset spatula or spoon.
  4. Let the glaze set for 30 to 40 minutes.
  5. Slice and serve lemon drizzle cake.
  6. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

Serving Suggestions

  1. Serve the lemon cake as it is, or with a cup of tea or coffee.
  2. You can also add a light dusting of icing sugar on the lemon pound cake before serving.
  3. For a slightly richer touch, pair it with whipped cream or a spoon of fresh berries. It works well as a small dessert after meals or as a tea-time snack.

Storage

  1. Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days in a cooler weather. In warm weather, refrigerate after the first day.
  2. The lemon cake stays good for about a week in the fridge. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
  3. You can also freeze slices for up to a month. Wrap them well while freezing. Thaw and warm slightly before eating.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.