Lemon Blueberry Drizzle Cake

I baked this on a cloudy Saturday when I needed something bright in the kitchen. The smell of lemon zest hitting warm butter made the whole house feel like summer had arrived early. My friend stopped by unexpectedly and we ate two slices each, still warm, standing by the counter. It's been my go-to ever since.

The first time I made this, I forgot to toss the blueberries in flour and they all sank to the bottom. My neighbor laughed and said it was a blueberry surprise layer. Now I never skip that step, but honestly, even the sunken version disappeared in under an hour. People are forgiving when cake tastes this good.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, softened: Let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour so it creams easily with the sugar and creates that fluffy base.
• Caster sugar: Finer than granulated, it dissolves faster and gives you a lighter crumb without any gritty texture.
• Large eggs: Use them at room temperature too, cold eggs can split the batter and nobody wants that stress.
• Self-raising flour: Already contains the leavening agent, making the whole process simpler and the rise more reliable.
• Lemon zest: The oils in the zest carry so much more flavor than juice alone, grate just the yellow part and avoid the bitter white pith.
• Fresh blueberries: Frozen ones release too much moisture and turn the batter purple, stick with fresh if you can find them.
• Milk: Just a splash to loosen the batter slightly, it helps everything fold together without overworking the flour.
• Icing sugar and lemon juice: Mixed together they create a glaze that hardens just enough to give a slight crackle when you slice through.

Instructions

Prep your tin:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and grease your loaf tin generously, then line it with baking parchment. Leave some overhang on the sides so you can lift the cake out easily later.

Cream the butter and sugar:

Beat them together until the mixture turns pale and almost doubles in volume, this takes about five minutes with an electric mixer. The air you trap now is what makes the cake light.

Add the eggs:

Crack them in one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. If it starts to look curdled, add a spoonful of flour to bring it back together.

Fold in the dry ingredients:

Sift in the flour, lemon zest, milk, and a pinch of salt, then fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough instead of tender.

Prepare the blueberries:

Toss them in a tablespoon of flour until lightly coated, then fold them into the batter carefully. The flour coating stops them from sinking straight to the bottom as the cake bakes.

Fill and bake:

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin, smooth the top with the back of a spoon, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. The top should be golden and a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Make the drizzle:

While the cake bakes, whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still run off easily.

Soak the cake:

Let the cake cool in the tin for ten minutes, then prick it all over with a skewer and pour the drizzle evenly across the top. The holes help the glaze sink in and flavor every bite.

Save

My sister visits every few weeks and now she requests this cake by name. Last time she brought her own container to take half of it home. I realized then it had stopped being just a recipe and become part of how we stay connected, one sticky slice at a time.

How to Store and Serve

This cake keeps beautifully in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. The drizzle acts as a bit of a preservative and the texture actually improves after a day as the lemon flavor mellows and spreads. If you want to serve it warm, a quick ten seconds in the microwave brings back that just-baked softness, though I often prefer it at room temperature with a dollop of creme fraiche on the side.

Swaps and Variations

Raspberries work just as well as blueberries, or you can mix half and half for a more complex fruit flavor. I have tried it with lime zest and juice instead of lemon, which gave it a sharper, more tropical edge that surprised everyone. If you are avoiding gluten, a good quality gluten-free self-raising flour blend works without changing anything else, though the texture may be slightly denser.

What to Do If Things Go Wrong

If your cake sinks in the middle, the oven temperature might have been too low or you opened the door too early and let out the heat. A cracked top is totally normal with loaf cakes and does not affect the taste at all, the drizzle hides it anyway. If the edges brown too quickly, tent the tin loosely with foil halfway through baking and let the center catch up.

• Too dry means it was overbaked, check five minutes earlier next time and trust the skewer test.
• Drizzle did not soak in properly because you waited too long before adding it, the cake needs to be warm for absorption.
• Blueberries turned the batter grayish purple, they were probably frozen and bled moisture, always use fresh if possible.

Save

Every time I pull this cake from the oven, I am reminded that the best recipes are not complicated, they just need a little attention and good ingredients. I hope it becomes as loved in your kitchen as it is in mine.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I prevent blueberries from sinking?

Toss the blueberries in a little flour before folding them into the batter; this helps suspend them evenly during baking.

→ Can I substitute blueberries with other fruits?

Yes, raspberries make a great alternative for a different fruity twist without affecting the texture much.

→ What is the best way to zest lemons for this cake?

Use a zester or fine grater to remove only the outer yellow layer of the lemon skin, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.

→ How long should the cake cool before adding the drizzle?

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before pricking and pouring the lemon drizzle evenly over the top.

→ What tools are recommended for making this cake?

A 900g loaf tin, mixing bowls, electric mixer or wooden spoon, sieve, zester, skewer, and baking parchment will help achieve best results.

→ Is this cake suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, all ingredients used are vegetarian-friendly, including butter, eggs, and flour.