Elegant Lemon & Elderflower Loaf Cake

As the days grow longer and blossoms begin to appear, there’s no better way to celebrate the season than by filling your kitchen with the sweet aroma of baking. Our Lemon & Elderflower Loaf Cake is the essence of spring in every bite. This wonderfully moist and tender cake balances the bright, zesty flavor of fresh lemons with the delicate, floral notes of elderflower. It’s an elegant yet simple treat, perfect for an afternoon tea, a special brunch, or simply to welcome the new season.

Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need the following fresh and simple ingredients:

• For the Cake:
  • 175g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 175g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 3 large free-range eggs
  • Zest of 2 large lemons
  • 175g (1⅓ cups) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4 tbsp milk
• For the Drizzle & Glaze:
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp elderflower cordial
  • 100g (1 cup) icing sugar, sifted
  • Optional: edible flowers or extra lemon zest for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling. Once combined, gently fold in the lemon zest.
4. Sift the remaining self-raising flour and baking powder into the bowl. Fold it in gently using a large metal spoon, alternating with the milk, until you have a smooth, well-combined batter. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf tin and level the top. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. While the cake is baking, prepare the drizzle. In a small bowl, mix the juice of one lemon with 1 tablespoon of the elderflower cordial.
7. Once the cake is cooked, let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, poke several holes all over the top with a skewer and pour the lemon-elderflower drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Let it soak in completely before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool fully.
8. For the glaze, mix the sifted icing sugar with the remaining 1 tablespoon of elderflower cordial and a little water if needed, until you have a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle it over the completely cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Decorate with edible flowers or lemon zest, if desired, before the glaze sets.

Serve a slice of this beautiful loaf cake with a cup of tea for a truly comforting treat. It stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, though we doubt it will last that long!

Nutritional Information

Estimated values per serving (assumes 10 servings).