My Slow Cooker Lemon Drizzle Cake is easy to make, zesty with lemon and perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea anytime!
Of course a lemon drizzle cake is a favourite all year round. That fresh sweet lemon flavour makes it ideal in summer or winter!
This recipe is a spin on my popular slow cooker Victoria sponge cake recipe. Added lemon zest in the mixture and the lemon drizzle over the top transforms a basic sponge cake into something so special!
I love how the lemon drizzle soaks into the cake adding sweetness and even more intense lemon flavour.
Slow cooker baking is great as it is much more hands off, uses less energy and is fun to do with the kids! If you haven’t tried it yet, make sure you do.
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Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to have to hand for this recipe. You will find the quantities together with the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- sugar – I use caster sugar but granulated also works well. Blitz granulated sugar up for a second in a food processor if you have one, to make it finer.
- flour – I normally use self-raising flour in baking but if you run out as I often do you can use plain flour with the addition of some baking powder. Plain flour is shown as it is what I used when taking the photos. You can use either – ensure you also have baking powder if using plain (see details in recipe card)!
- butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter. If you like you can use margarine such as Stork, which works well in baking.
- eggs – free-range, either medium or large UK egg sizes.
- lemons – to add that zing of flavour, you will use the zest and juice of two lemons.
- baking powder – used if you use plain flour to add some lift!
Instructions
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this slow cooker lemon drizzle cake recipe perfectly every time.
Step 1: Place the flour, butter (or margarine), eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and mix using a hand blender until well combined.
Step 2: Once the mix looks like this – uniform and well mixed – you are ready to bake. Don’t overmix.
Step 3: Place two round cake tin liners in your slow cooker pot.
If you don’t have the round cake liners you can use baking paper to line the pot. Tear off a piece and scrunch it into a ball to make it pliable, then smooth it out and press it into the bowl.
Step 4: Pour the cake mixture into the cake liners and turn your slow cooker onto high.
Step 5: Put some squares of kitchen paper under the lid to stop water dripping onto the cake. This stops the top of the cake getting soggy from the condensation from the lid.
Step 6: Cook on high for approximately 1.5 hours, or until fully firm in the centre.
You can check if the cake is cooked through yet by jiggling the pot gently to see if it is still liquid in the centre and by piercing the cake with a skewer, thin knife or cake tester. If it is cooked through there should be no moisture on your skewer or other tool.
Once the cake is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker using the edges of the lining paper to pull it out, and leave to cool.
Step 7: In a small bowl, juice two lemons and then stir in the additional sugar. Stir and mix well.
Step 8: Use a skewer or knife to pierce some small holes in the cake then pour the lemon drizzle mixture over the top. It will soak into the cake.
If you want to add icing, you can mix lemon juice with icing sugar to achieve the thickness of icing you want, then apply it to the cake.
Hint: If you want a crunchy lemon topping, let the cake cool before pouring over the lemon drizzle. When it is warm it will sink into the cake more. To make the topping even crunchier, add more sugar to the lemon juice when making the lemon drizzle.
Equipment
Slow cooker – For cakes I use this type of slow cooker – round and 3.5 litre. The shape and volume work really well for my slow cooker desserts!
Cake liners – these are handy as they are ready to use and work in my 3.5 litre round slow cooker as well as in 7 inch cake tins!
Lemon zester – I like this more modern style of lemon zester rather than the box graters. They are much easier to use and wash and there is less chance of grating your knuckles!
Lemon squeezer – I used to do this by hand but now I use this style of lemon squeezer which catches the pips for you and has a jug below for pouring the lemon juice – so handy!
Storage
The baked cake will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
You can freeze lemon drizzle cake for up to a month – wrap well in foil then pop it in a freezer bag to protect it.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these slow cooker cakes too!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Lemon Drizzle Cake
A simple lemon drizzle sponge cake with a full method for baking it in your slow cooker. Great with a cup of tea!
Servings: 8
Calories: 349kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Place the flour, butter (or margarine), eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and mix using a hand blender until well combined.Once the mix is uniform and well mixed you are ready to bake. Don’t overmix.
150 g self-raising flour, 150 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), 150 g unsalted butter, 3 medium free-range eggs, Zest of 2 lemons
-
Place two round cake tin liners in your slow cooker pot.If you don’t have the round cake liners you can use baking paper to line the pot. Tear off a piece and scrunch it into a ball to make it pliable, then smooth it out and press it into the bowl.
-
Pour the cake mixture into the cake liner and turn your slow cooker onto high.
-
Put some squares of kitchen paper under the lid to stop water dripping onto the cake. This stops the top of the cake getting soggy from the condensation from the lid.
-
Cook on high for approximately 1.5 hours, or until fully firm in the centre.You can check if the cake is cooked through yet by jiggling the pot gently to see if it is still liquid in the centre and by piercing the cake with a skewer, thin knife or cake tester. If it is cooked through there should be no moisture on your skewer or other tool.
-
Once the cake is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker using the edges of the lining paper to pull it out, and leave to cool.
-
Juice two lemons into a bowl and then stir in the additional sugar. Stir and mix well.
Juice of 2 lemons, 100 g caster sugar
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Use a skewer or knife to pierce some small holes in the cake then pour the lemon drizzle mixture over the top. It will soak into the cake.If you want to add icing too, you can mix lemon juice with icing sugar to achieve the thickness of icing you want, then apply it to the cake once cooled.
Notes
if you only have plain flour, add 2 tsp of baking powder to ensure you get lift. If you do have self-raising flour you don’t need baking powder.
Icing:
If you’d like to decorate this cake with a lemon icing, mix some icing sugar with lemon juice to reach your desired consistency, then drizzle it over the cake when cool. A few curls of lemon zest will add a pretty look.
Troubleshooting:
Cakes can sink if you overmix the mixture when preparing it. Mix as little as possible!
Cakes can also sink if you use too much baking powder – make sure you use a teaspoon measure not just a teaspoon for actual tea from your cutlery drawer.
Another cause of sinking can be if you lift the lid of the slow cooker while the cake is still cooking, it has a similar effect to opening the oven door. Try to wait as long as possible before peeking!
Slow cooker cakes can sometimes get a bit wet on top from the moisture dripping off the lid of the slow cooker. Keep an eye on your cake, if kitchen towel isn’t enough to stop this happening you could also try using a tea towel.
Storage:
The baked cake will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
You can freeze lemon drizzle cake for up to a month – wrap well in foil then pop it in a freezer bag to protect it.
