Welcome to my family’s favorite lemon drizzle cake recipe! Whenever I bake this cake, it hardly lasts a couple of hours. The intoxicating aroma of freshly squeezed lemon juice fills the air, and travels through the house. The pure freshness of the lemon juice is so special and it just won’t be beat by a store bought cake mix or pastry.
Brighter Days Are Right Around the Corner
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you know first hand that the tease of warmer days is lingering in the air. Here in Southern Ontario, we are so hopeful for a beautiful spring after the difficult winter of heavy snow, and bone chilling wind that we just experienced.
With everything going on in our world, I firmly believe that we should all make the effort to focus on the small things, and to celebrate them. Everyday is a gift. We deserve to smell the flowers, watch the birds soar high, get our hands into the dirt, our toes in the grass, and snuggle up on the porch with a warm tea and a blanket at the end of the day.
Balance and Joy
This cake is fabulous, and balanced. The acidity from the lemon juice reduces the perception of sweetness on our palates, and helps to add some moisture to the batter alongside the sour cream. I don’t usually enjoy eating sweet snacks or desserts because I have a preference for salty and savory foods, but this cake is just right.
Let this recipe serve as a reminder that there are always better things coming right around the corner. It is highly recommended to share with those you love, to bring a smile to someone’s face, and to brighten their day.
How To Make This Lemon Drizzle Cake
This lemon drizzle cake is a pretty simple recipe but does require some planning. Removing the butter, sour cream and eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before beginning is very important.
Ingredient Temperature
Ingredient temperature is important for the overall structure of the cake. When you beat room-temperature butter with sugar, the mixture will become light and fluffy. This is called the creaming method. This method whips pockets of air into the butter and add texture and volume into this mixture.
If you used butter straight from the fridge, the creaming method would be interrupted because the butter would be stiff and more difficult to beat. When the butter is too cold, it will have a more difficult time holding air, which will result in a less fluffy batter. (source)
Tips for adding Eggs
Once the butter and sugar are creamed, it is important to add one egg in at a time. Adding one egg at a time will help with the emulsification and integration of the protein into the fat from the butter. Once all of the eggs are added, continue on by adding the sour cream, and lemon juice.
Once all of the wet ingredients are combined, sift in the dry ingredients, and just mix to combine. Do not overmix the cake batter.
Bake the cake at 325°F (or 165°C) for about 40 minutes. While the cake is baking, make the glaze and set aside.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
Glazed Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup organic sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- The zest of one large lemon
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour I use unbleached flour
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Lemony Glaze
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract I use PC Black Label Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- 1. Remove the butter, eggs, and sour cream from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before using in order to ensure they acclimate to room temperature
- 2. Preheat the oven to 325°F (or 165°C)
- 3. Prepare an 8in round non-stick cake pan by greasing the pan with butter, and lining the bottom with parchment paper to reduce the risk of the cake not releasing from the pan.
- 4. Combine the butter, and sugar in an electric mixer bowl, and cream the ingredients on medium speed for about 3-5 minutes. Once creamed, fluffy, and lighter in color, add the eggs one at a time to ensure proper integration. Add the remainder of the wet ingredients; the sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- 5. Weigh, and measure the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Sifting these ingredients will allow for an easier integration into the wet ingredients.
- 6. Cautiously whisk together the wet, and dry ingredients until combined to not overmix the batter. Once integrated, pour mixture into the prepared cake pan.
- 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, checking periodically with a tester toothpick. The cake is ready when the toothpick comes out of the cake clean and dry, without resistance.
- 8. When the cake is finished baking, set aside and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.
- 9. Prepare the glaze by whisking the lemon juice, vanilla, and confectioners sugar together in a small bowl. Spoon this glaze over the cake slowly.
- 10. Slice, serve and enjoy!