This lemon drizzle traybake cake is super easy to make with simple ingredients and it's perfect for any occasion. It's soft, sweet and fluffy, and it's bursting with zesty lemon flavour.
If you're looking for a quick and easy cake that can serve a crowd, this lemon drizzle traybake is just the thing! It's made with less than 10 ingredients and there's only 15 minutes of prep time required!
It's perfect for bake sales, afternoon tea or even to use as a birthday cake. Whatever you decide to use it for, it's guaranteed to be a hit.
For those of you who are new to baking, I have written out some information to help you get success on the first try. Below, you'll find ingredient notes, step-by-step instructions with images and my top tips. I hope you find it useful. For the people who just want the TLDR version, skip straight ahead to the recipe card at the end of the post. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Softened butter: Using the right amount of butter is the key to a moist cake. I used the classic 1:1:1:1 cake ratio to make this recipe (plus some milk) and I'm super happy about how it turned out. Make sure to soften your butter before you start baking by leaving it out at room temperature for 60 minutes. This will make it so much easier to mix.
- Caster sugar: This recipe uses the creaming method, which means beating the sugar together with the butter until pale and fluffy. This will add more air to the mixture and give you a fluffier cake. If you don't know what caster sugar is, it's also known as superfine sugar- the texture is somewhere between granulated sugar and icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract: For flavour. I have also tried making my traybake with lemon extract but I preferred the vanilla.
- Eggs: 4 medium or large eggs, to help with binding and leavening.
- Milk: Just a few tablespoons to help loosen the cake batter.
- Flour: I recommend that you use self-raising flour if you want a fluffy cake. Alternatively, you can use equal amounts of plain flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder separately to help with rising.
- Lemons: The star of the show! You'll need the zest of 2 lemons (or 1 large one) plus a few tablespoons of the juice to make the icing. I also like to have a little extra lemon zest to decorate the cake with.
- Icing sugar: To make the lemon glace icing. This is also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
Equipment
- Baking tin and baking paper: For best results, use an 8x10-inch tin. This is what I used and as you'll be able to see from the images, it produces a thick, fluffy cake. A larger tin such as 9x12-inch will work too but of course, the cake will be slightly thinner. Baking time will also vary so keep an eye on it while it's in the oven.
- Electric whisk: This is not totally essential but I find it to be super helpful for mixing the cake batter. You can also use a stand mixer.
- Bowls: A large one for the batter and a smaller one for the icing.
- Utensils: A wooden spoon or spatula to spread the cake mix into the tin, a tablespoon and teaspoon for measuring, and a sharp knife to cut the cake.
- Grater: To get the zest off of the lemons.
- Food scale: As always, use a scale to measure out your ingredients! This will help you get a delicious cake on the first try.
How to make lemon drizzle traybake cake
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 180°C and line an 8x10-inch tin with baking paper. If you're using a fan oven, the temperature will need to be slightly lower at 160°C.
Step 2: Next, place 250g of softened butter into a bowl with 250g of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use a whisk to mix it until soft and fluffy.
Step 3: Now add 4 eggs, 250g of self-raising flour and 3 tablespoons of milk. Measure them out beforehand and stir them in a little bit at a time. This will help to create a smooth batter and prevent curdling. Grate the zest from 2 lemons and stir it into your cake batter.
Step 4: Transfer the batter to your lined tin and spread it evenly into the corners.
Step 5: Bake the traybake for 25-30 minutes, until it's golden brown all over and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Step 6: Once the cake is cool, prepare the icing by mixing 200g of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. If you want it thinner, add more lemon juice and if you want it thicker, add more icing sugar.
Step 7: Spread the icing on top of the cake and sprinkle some more lemon zest on top. Let the cake sit out at room temperature until the icing has hardened then cut it into slices and enjoy!
Top tips
- Butter will give you a much better flavour than margarine and oil in cakes. It can be a little trickier to mix but the end result is so worth it!
- If you want some extra citrusy flavour, you can add a lemon-sugar drizzle before the icing. Just mix 2 tablespoons of caster sugar with the juice of half a lemon and brush or spread this onto the cake while it's still hot.
FAQ
This cake will last for up to 5 days if you keep it in an airtight container. It's best stored it in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cupboard.
Yes, you sure can! Just pop your lemon traybake slices into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost it, leave it out at room temperature for an hour or two until soft. Do not refreeze.
More easy traybake cakes:
- Orange drizzle traybake
- Old school chocolate traybake
- Jam and coconut sponge
- School dinner vanilla traybake
- Date and walnut traybake
I hope you like my lemon drizzle traybake recipe! If you make it yourself, please leave a comment and rating to let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Easy Lemon Drizzle Traybake Cake
Ingredients
Traybake cake
- 250 g Softened butter
- 250 g Caster sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 Medium Eggs
- 250 g Self-raising flour
- 3 Tablespoons Milk
- Zest of 2 Lemons
Topping
- 200 g Icing sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 Tablespoons Lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180℃ (160℃ for fan ovens) and line an 8x10-inch tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk in the eggs, flour and milk, a little bit at a time, until you have a smooth cake batter. Then stir in the lemon zest.
- Transfer the batter to your lined tin and spread it out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for around 10 minutes then flip it out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Topping
- Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to make a smooth, thick icing. Spread it over the cooled cake and top with extra lemon zest.
- Let the cake sit out until the icing is firm then cut it into squares and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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