Sultana Cake with Lemon

Top view of a lemon and sultana cake

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!

If you like this loaf cake, you will also enjoy:

Lemon and Sultana Cake – 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 Make Sultana 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.
  • To stop the sultanas from sinking to the bottom of the cake, make sure that you don’t overwork the cake batter. Stop mixing when it is all combined. Also, don’t open the oven door during the early stages of cooking because this can also cause sultanas to sink.
  • You can ice the cake if you choose to. Either use a simple sugar and lemon juice mix drizzled over the top – like with a lemon drizzle case – or mix lemon juice with icing sugar for a more traditional icing.

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Top view of a lemon and sultana cake

Lemon and Sultana Cake

Harriet Young
March 29, 2024
This delicious homemade sultana loaf cake with lemon makes the perfect snack. Serve warm or cold.
5
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 10 Slices
Calories 303 kcal

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

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 424IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Baking, cake, loaf
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


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17 responses to “Sultana Cake with Lemon”

  1. 5 stars
    Really enjoyed making and eating this cake. Fantastic recipe and absolute delight to eat. Whole family loved it!

  2. 5 stars
    Amazing, I’m not much of a baker but this cake turned out brilliantly

  3. 5 stars
    The lemon and sultanas were a perfect pairing in this moist loaf cake!

  4. 5 stars
    Oooh, definitely the best of both worlds! This cake looks absolutely incredible and I love the flavors with the lemon and sultanas.

  5. 5 stars
    what a gorgeous cake that sounds delicious. I am loving the flavor combination and I know my family are going to love eating it.

  6. Total winner! I loved the lemon in this cake. So delicious! Thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    The Lemon and Sultana Cake Recipe is a winner! The cake is moist, tangy, and filled with sweet grapes!

  8. 5 stars
    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!

  9. 5 stars
    The sultanas added such a nice mellow sweetness. This was a real delight to make, and to eat.

  10. 5 stars
    This lemon sultana cake turned out perfectly – easy to follow and I love that it uses simple ingredients. A new favourite for us!

  11. 5 stars
    This looks so good and I can’t wait to try it. Ingredients are already added to this week’s grocery list!

  12. 5 stars
    I subbed in raisins and this cake was so good! Loved the tangy and the sweet together.

  13. Carrie Robinson

    5 stars
    I have never heard of sultanas before! Totally intrigued now. I will have bake up a loaf of this soon. 🙂

  14. 5 stars
    This cake was pure deliciousness! Seriously perfect and my family loved it! Thank you so much!

  15. 5 stars
    I cant wait to make this recipe the next time I have family over It looks amazing!

  16. 5 stars
    This loaf cake turned out perfectly. Loved the springlike flavor from the lemon.

  17. 5 stars
    What a fantastic fruit cake recipe! Love the sweet raisin flavors and the lemon zest really shines thru!

5 from 16 votes

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Hi there!

I’m Harriet, writer and cook, and I’m so pleased to have you here! I love nothing more than cooking delicious food and sharing it with the world. You can find out more about me here.