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.
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.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these slow cooker cakes too!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 150 g self-raising flour
- 150 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
For the lemon drizzle
- Juice of 2 lemons or approx 75 ml
- 100 g caster sugar
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
- 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.
Margaret says
Hi Lucy Can i use a loaf tin in my oval slow cooker Have to say you have some fantastic reipes Are you in America /England Margaret
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Margaret, so glad to hear that! I am in England so all my recipes have grams for the weights. Yes you can use a loaf tin as long as it fits your slow cooker – usually would need to use something like a 6.5 litre oval slow cooker I think to fit it in. Good luck with your slow cooker baking and let me know if you have any questions!
Gilly says
Lovely cake, easy to make & tasted delicious
bakingqueen74 says
Wonderful, thanks for leaving your review Gilly!
bakingqueen74 says
Lemon drizzle cake is our favourite at home and baking it in the slow cooker uses less energy and is convenient when you are busy too.