Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe: BBC & Loaf Tin Guide

Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake is the kind of recipe she gets stopped in the street for—the one that’s been a British kitchen staple since the 1960s. What’s kept it popular all these decades is its simplicity: one bowl, a handful of pantry staples, and a lemon-icing finish that turns a plain cake into something you can’t stop eating.

Key ingredient: butter 225g softened · Key ingredient: caster sugar 225g · Flour type 275g self-raising · Eggs 4 large · Lemon zest From 2 lemons

How to Make Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake BBC Recipe

The official traybake recipe from Mary Berry’s website uses a 30×23×4 cm traybake tin and has been satisfying home bakers since the 1960s. Mary Berry herself has called it her “top favourite” and notes it is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street (YouTube – Mary Berry’s Famous Lemon Drizzle). The method is straightforward: beat softened butter with caster sugar until fluffy, add eggs one at a time, then fold in self-raising flour, baking powder, milk, and the rind of 2 lemons.

Ingredients for BBC version

According to Mary Berry’s official recipe, the traybake uses 225g softened butter, 225g caster sugar, 275g self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 4 large eggs, 4 tablespoons milk, and the finely grated rind of 2 lemons. For the topping, mix the juice of 2 lemons with 175g granulated sugar until it reaches a pourable consistency.

• 225g butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 275g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk
• Rind of 2 lemons
• 175g granulated sugar + juice of 2 lemons (for topping)

Step-by-step baking instructions

Grease the traybake tin and line with non-stick parchment, pushing it into the corners for a snug fit. Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F/Gas 3). Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy—this is the foundation for that moist crumb. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition to prevent the batter from curdling. Sift in the flour and baking powder, add the milk, and fold in the lemon rind until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and has shrunk slightly from the sides. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean (BBC Good Food). Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then lift carefully onto a wire rack positioned over a baking tray to catch any drips.

Traybake specifics

The warm drizzle is what makes this cake distinctive. While the cake is still warm (not hot), poke holes across the surface with a skewer and pour the lemon juice and sugar mixture over the top. According to Mary Berry’s official instructions, the cake must be warm so it absorbs the syrup easily, leaving the sugar to set on top and create that signature crunch. The traybake makes 30 squares—perfect for sharing.

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake in Loaf Tin

Not everyone has a 30×23 cm traybake tin sitting in their cupboard. The good news is that the same batter works beautifully in a standard 2lb loaf tin, though you’ll need to adjust the baking time. Cooking with my kids recommends baking at 160°C/150°C fan for 60-70 minutes until a skewer test comes out clean.

Adapting to loaf tin

Line the loaf tin with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy lifting. The key tip from Cooking with my kids is to fill the tin only three-quarters full—2lb loaf tins vary in exact dimensions between manufacturers, and an overfilled tin will overflow during baking.

2lb loaf tin guide

For a 2lb loaf tin, use the same traybake batter quantities. Bake at 160°C/150°C fan for 60-70 minutes. If you’re halving the recipe for a smaller loaf tin, Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites episode shows a smaller batch that fills a 20cm round tin or two 1lb loaf tins at 160°C for 35-40 minutes.

Baking time adjustments

Every oven behaves slightly differently. The skewer test is your best guide: insert a clean skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), the cake is done. BBC Good Food notes that a lemon drizzle cake baked in a loaf tin typically needs 45-50 minutes in an unspecified tin, so monitor from 45 minutes onwards if using a conventional oven without fan.

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake Tray Bake

The traybake format is where this recipe truly shines. A shallow, wide cake bakes more evenly and faster than a deep loaf, and that large surface area means more of the crumb gets kissed by the lemony topping. Mary Berry’s official traybake recipe specifies a 30×23×4 cm tin, which bakes in just 35-40 minutes at 160°C.

Traybake ingredients

The official traybake uses 225g butter, 225g caster sugar, 275g self-raising flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 4 eggs, 4 tbsp milk, and the rind of 2 lemons for the batter. The topping is 175g granulated sugar mixed with the juice of 2 lemons. Variations exist across other sources: GoodtoKnow’s version uses 175g each of sugar, flour, and butter with 3 eggs and zest of 1 lemon, baking at 180°C/160°C fan for 40 minutes.

Preparation steps

Grease and line the traybake tin with parchment, pushing it into the corners. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Beat butter and caster sugar until light and creamy, then add eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour and baking powder, add milk and lemon rind, and mix until smooth. Pour into the tin, level the top, and bake for 35-40 minutes until springy to the touch and shrinking from the sides.

While the cake bakes, mix the topping: combine 175g granulated sugar with the juice of 2 lemons until you have a pourable syrup. When the cake comes out of the oven, leave it in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it onto a wire rack over a baking tray. Poke holes across the warm surface and pour the lemon syrup over the top, letting it absorb and the sugar set.

Serving suggestions

The traybake cuts into 30 squares, making it ideal for parties, bake sales, or a week of afternoon tea portions. Mary Berry’s YouTube demonstration notes that the combination of a moist, tender crumb with the zingy lemon flavour and crunchy sugar topping is what keeps people coming back for more. Serve at room temperature—the topping firms up slightly but the cake stays moist for several days when stored in an airtight container.

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake Round or Other Shapes

The lemon drizzle batter is remarkably adaptable. My Gorgeous Recipes adapts the recipe for a round 19×7 cm tin at 180°C for 35-40 minutes. Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites shows a smaller batch that fills a 20cm round tin or two 1lb loaf tins.

Round tin adaptation

A round tin produces a different visual presentation—a dome-shaped cake rather than a flat slab. Adjust the tin size and keep the 160°C temperature, but expect a slightly longer bake time if the cake is deeper than the traybake’s shallow 4 cm depth. The skewer test remains your guide to doneness.

Pan size tips

Not all loaf tins are created equal. Cooking with my kids advises filling any tin only three-quarters full to prevent overflow. For mini loaves, My Gorgeous Recipes notes that the same batter works well—just watch the baking time as smaller cakes cook faster.

Icing drizzle technique

Whether traybake, loaf, or round tin, the drizzle technique stays consistent. The cake must be warm—never hot—when you apply the topping. Poke holes across the surface with a skewer, then pour the lemon juice and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Mary Berry’s official recipe explains that the warm cake absorbs the syrup while the sugar sets on top to create that characteristic crunch.

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake vs Nigella and YouTube Tips

Comparing Mary Berry’s version to other interpretations reveals subtle but interesting differences. BBC Good Food’s lemon drizzle cake uses caster sugar in the topping (rather than granulated), which creates a slightly softer crust. The variations in egg count (3-4), lemon quantity (1-2), and sugar amounts across recipes show how flexible this basic template is.

Comparison to Nigella

The search for “Mary Berry lemon drizzle cake Nigella” reflects a common comparison between two British baking icons. Both favour simple, one-bowl methods and rely on lemon zest and juice for flavour. The key differences tend to be in proportions: Nigella might use slightly more butter or fewer eggs. For the purpose of this guide, Mary Berry’s official recipe is the most verified and widely used.

YouTube tutorials

Mary Berry’s Famous Lemon Drizzle on YouTube provides a visual walkthrough of the recipe, showing the consistency of the batter, the moment of lifting the traybake onto a wire rack, and the drizzle application technique. Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites Episode 3 demonstrates the smaller batch adaptation for round tins and mini loaves.

Common variations

The most consistent variations across sources are in the topping: Mary Berry uses 175g granulated sugar with juice of 2 lemons, while GoodtoKnow’s version uses 100g granulated sugar with juice of 1 lemon. Cooking with my kids suggests microwaving the lemon for 10 seconds before juicing to extract more liquid—a practical tip if your lemons are firm.

Step-by-Step: Perfect Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Every Time

1. Prepare the tin: Grease and line a 30×23×4 cm traybake tin or 2lb loaf tin with non-stick parchment, pushing it into the corners. Preheat oven to 160°C (150°C fan).
2. Make the batter: Beat 225g softened butter with 225g caster sugar until light and creamy. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well. Fold in 275g self-raising flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 4 tbsp milk, and the rind of 2 lemons.
3. Bake: Pour into prepared tin and level. Bake traybake for 35-40 minutes or loaf tin for 60-70 minutes until springy and shrinking from the sides. Skewer test should come out clean.
4. Make the drizzle: Mix 175g granulated sugar with juice of 2 lemons until pourable.
5. Apply the topping: Lift cake onto wire rack over a baking tray. Poke holes with skewer. Pour lemon drizzle over warm cake (not hot). Let set before slicing.

Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Cake Quotes

“This really is our top favourite. It is always moist and crunchy.”

— Mary Berry, Mary Berry official site

“Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle traybake cake has been a hit since the 1960s, and this is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street.”

— YouTube narrator, Mary Berry’s Famous Lemon Drizzle

“The cake needs to be still warm when the topping is added so that it absorbs the lemon syrup easily, leaving the sugar on top.”

— Mary Berry, Mary Berry official site

What these statements reveal is simple: the recipe works because it delivers exactly what it promises. The moist crumb, the zingy lemon kick, the crunchy sugar topping—and it does so reliably, bake after bake, in different tin shapes.

For UK home bakers who want to nail this classic, the path is clear: start with the official recipe for the traybake format, master the warm drizzle technique that Mary Berry herself emphasises, and adapt the tin size as needed for loaf or round variations. Mini loaves are possible with the same batter but need closer monitoring. The choice is straightforward: commit to the warm drizzle rule, and your cake will be the one everyone wants the recipe for.

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Mary Berry’s moist recipe guide delivers the ideal balance for her zingy lemon drizzle cake, whether baked in a BBC traybake or classic loaf tin.

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