If you’re looking for a delicious and versatile loaf cake, you’re going to want to try making this lemon and sultana cake. It’s seriously simple and incredibly tasty – and you’re going to enjoy making it as much as you enjoy eating it!
Sultanas are good friends of loaf cakes, and are often used in fruit loaf cakes like this bara brith. However, if you’re looking for something a bit lighter, this sultana cake will be the one for you.
Imagine this as a traditional fruit cake crossed with a lemon drizzle cake. It’s absolutely delicious and the best of both worlds!
Serve this delightful loaf cake with a cup of tea and enjoy!
The Ingredients
- Softened butter – use either salted or unsalted, whichever you prefer. Salted will bring out the flavour more.
- Caster sugar – use caster sugar here because it is light in colour and flavour.
- Eggs – this recipe calls for three eggs. Make sure they’re fresh.
- Self-raising flour– gives the cake its rise. You could switch for plain flour and baking powder, but as I haven’t tested that with this particular recipe I’m afraid I can’t recommend an amount of baking powder.
- Lemon – fresh lemon zest gives the cake its zing. Don’t substitute for juice – that will throw off the texture of the cake.
- Sultanas – the key ingredient! You could switch for raisins.
How to Bake the Cake
This cake is simple, but as with any loaf cake it’s important to follow the steps carefully. Here are my top tips to making it a success:
- You can use a kitchen aid or similar mixer to help you make this cake, but it’s absolutely not necessary. Just make sure your butter is nice and soft and it’ll be easy to mix by hand (pro tip – pop the butter in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds before starting).
- Don’t over mix, especially after the flour is added. As soon as it’s all combined, stop stirring.
- To make sure the cake is cooked through before removing it from the oven, poke a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out with batter clinging to it, it needs more time. Give it another ten minutes before trying again.
Sultana Cake With Lemon
Ingredients
- 140 g softened butter
- 140 g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 1 lemon
- 150 g sultanas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner or baking paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, until fully combined.
- Fold in the flour, making sure that it is all mixed in well.
- Zest the lemon. Add this to the bowl along with the sultanas. Stir until they are fairly evenly distributed.
- Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin. Put it into the oven for one hour, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Video
Nutrition
If you like this loaf cake, you will also enjoy:
- Apple Loaf Cake
- Blackberry Loaf Cake
- Summer Fruit Cake
- Lime and Ginger Cake
- Traditional Welsh Bara Brith (Tea Cake)
- Coconut and Mango Loaf Cake
- Savoury Olive and Halloumi Loaf Cake
- Hidden Crème Egg Loaf Cake
- White Chocolate Birthday Loaf Cake
- Easter Simnel Cake
Really enjoyed making and eating this cake. Fantastic recipe and absolute delight to eat. Whole family loved it!
Amazing, I’m not much of a baker but this cake turned out brilliantly
The lemon and sultanas were a perfect pairing in this moist loaf cake!
Oooh, definitely the best of both worlds! This cake looks absolutely incredible and I love the flavors with the lemon and sultanas.
what a gorgeous cake that sounds delicious. I am loving the flavor combination and I know my family are going to love eating it.
Total winner! I loved the lemon in this cake. So delicious! Thank you!
The Lemon and Sultana Cake Recipe is a winner! The cake is moist, tangy, and filled with sweet grapes!
The zesty lemon flavor perfectly complemented the sweet, juicy sultanas, creating a light and refreshing dessert. I highly recommend giving it a go for a sunny twist on a classic cake!
The sultanas added such a nice mellow sweetness. This was a real delight to make, and to eat.
This lemon sultana cake turned out perfectly – easy to follow and I love that it uses simple ingredients. A new favourite for us!
This looks so good and I can’t wait to try it. Ingredients are already added to this week’s grocery list!
I subbed in raisins and this cake was so good! Loved the tangy and the sweet together.
I have never heard of sultanas before! Totally intrigued now. I will have bake up a loaf of this soon. 🙂
This cake was pure deliciousness! Seriously perfect and my family loved it! Thank you so much!
I cant wait to make this recipe the next time I have family over It looks amazing!
This loaf cake turned out perfectly. Loved the springlike flavor from the lemon.
What a fantastic fruit cake recipe! Love the sweet raisin flavors and the lemon zest really shines thru!