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–+ servings
a baked lemon syrup cake on blue plate with three pieces cut out, one on a plate. The cake is decorated with a ring of lemon zest and purple edible flowers

Lemon Syrup Cake

Robyn
Packed with lemon flavour, this lemon syrup cake features a lemon almond sponge topped with a zesty lemon syrup.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course baking
Cuisine British, International
Servings 12 people
Calories 207 kcal

Equipment

  • 20cm / 8 inch round baking tin

Ingredients
  

  • 100g (3.5oz) butter, softened ($1.30 /£0.70p)
  • 150g (⅓ c + ¼ c) granulated sugar / white sugar ($0.17/£0.10p)
  • 100g (⅔ c) plain flour / all purpose flour ($0.12 /£0.05p)
  • 50g (½ c) almond meal / ground almonds / almond flour ($0.79 /£0.42p)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder ($0.20 /£0.03p)
  • pinch salt ($0.01 /£0.01p)
  • 2 large eggs ($0.70 /£0.18p)
  • 2 lemons, zested ($2.06 /£0.60p)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from approx 1 lemon) ($ - /£-)

Lemon syrup

  • 1 lemon zested ($1.03 /£0.30p)
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice, (from 2 lemons) ($ - /£ - )
  • 100g granulated sugar / white sugar ($0.11 /£0.07p)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 160˚C fan / 180˚C / 320˚F convection / 356˚F.
  • Line a 20cm / 8 inch round baking tin with baking paper.
  • Beat the softened butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
  • In another bowl mix the flour, ground almonds / almond meal / almond flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Add 1 egg to the butter sugar mixture and stir before adding half of the flour, then mix well.
  • Add the other egg, the rest of the dry ingredients and lemon juice and mix to combine.
  • Spoon into the lined baking tin, place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes whilst you make the lemon syrup.

Lemon syrup

  • In a small saucepan mix the sugar with the lemon zest and lemon juice and place over a low heat.
  • Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Don't let the syrup boil.
  • Once the sugar has dissolved take the syrup off the heat.
  • Prick the lemon cake all over with a skewer or fork then spoon the lemon syrup all over the top of the cake.
  • Leave for 5 minutes in the tin then remove the cake from the tin, peel off the baking paper, and place on a metal cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Store the cake at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Video

Notes

Estimated costs:
Australia $6.49. Per slice = $0.54. Lemons are the major cost, so hopefully you have a lemon tree or know someone with one, and you can cut the costs in half for this cake!
UK £2.46 . Per slice = 21p
America - I am yet to calculate the estimated ingredients costs to make this recipe in the US. If you would find it useful please let me know and I'll get calculating :) 
Plain flour – all purpose flour. I like to use plain flour rather than self raising flour in my cakes. However you can use self raising flour if you prefer, and reduce the amount of baking powder to 1 teaspoon.
Ground almonds – also known as almond flour or almond meal – make sure you get the blanched almond meal for this recipe. Using ground almonds makes the sponge slightly denser than using all wheat flour. However they help make a moist cake and it really suits the drizzle topping.
Butter – unsalted butter, use butter at room temperature to make it easier to beat with the sugar.
Eggs – this lemon cake uses just 2 eggs.
Lemons – fresh lemon zest and lemon juice are used in the cake and the lemon syrup.
Sugar – I use granulated sugar or white sugar in both the cake batter and to make the lemon drizzle. I don’t notice much of a difference in this cake to warrant using caster sugar.
I like to use a 20cm / 8 inch round tin which makes quite a shallow cake but increases the surface for that tangy lemon syrup!
Preheat the oven before you begin to mix the cake batter. If you place the cake in the oven when not preheated it can come out dense rather than soft and fluffy.
Whisking the lemon zest with the butter and sugar helps release the oils and therefore release more flavour and have that zingy lemon flavour throughout the cake.
Don’t overmix the cake batter once you have added the all of the flour and ground almonds.
Take care not to boil the drizzle for too long. Otherwise you can end up with a chewy topping to your cake, which isn’t pleasant.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 135mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 249IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 1mg
Keyword lemon cake, lemon drizzle cake, lemon recipe

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