Anna Louise The lemon drizzle traybake is already one of the most popular recipes on this site. This version takes the standard traybake one step further — after the crunchy lemon drizzle has been applied to the warm sponge and set, a vivid lemon glacé icing is drizzled over the top in thin.
Irregular lines that add an extra layer of sharp citrus flavour and give the finished traybake a look that is noticeably more elegant and more finished than the plain drizzle version.
The two-layer approach — drizzle applied to the warm sponge for the characteristic crunchy crust, icing applied to the cool sponge for a smooth, vivid top layer — gives something that has the best of both the drizzle and the iced lemon cake traditions.
The drizzle gives the crunchy, crystallised lemon crust that defines the lemon drizzle cake. The icing gives a professional, bakery-quality finish and an additional burst of vivid lemon on every bite.
I make this for bake sales specifically because it cuts into twenty-four squares and every single one looks genuinely appetising. It disappears faster than anything else on the table.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Icing
For the Lemon Sponge
- 300g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g golden caster sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 300g self-raising flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp whole milk
- Finely grated zest of 4 large unwaxed lemons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Lemon Drizzle
- Juice of 3 large unwaxed lemons (about 8 tbsp)
- 125g golden caster sugar or granulated sugar — granulated gives a crunchier crust
For the Lemon Glacé Icing
- 200g icing sugar, sifted
- Juice of 1 to 1½ large unwaxed lemons (about 3–4 tbsp)
- Finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon — stirred in for flavour and visual appeal
How to Make Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Icing
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a 33x23cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment, leaving overhang at both long sides.
Step 2 — Make the Lemon Sponge Batter
Beat the softened butter and golden caster sugar together for four to five minutes until pale and genuinely fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Spread evenly to the corners.
Step 3 — Bake
Bake for 28 to 33 minutes until the sponge is deep golden, springs back when pressed in the centre, and a skewer inserted into the very centre comes out clean.
Step 4 — Apply the Lemon Drizzle
While the sponge is still in the tin and still hot — immediately on removing from the oven — pierce the surface all over with a skewer or fork, making approximately forty to fifty holes.
Mix the lemon juice and sugar together in a small bowl. Do not dissolve the sugar — the undissolved sugar is what gives the characteristic crystallised, crunchy crust. Pour immediately and evenly over the hot sponge, working quickly from one end to the other.
Leave to cool completely in the tin — at least one hour. The drizzle soaks into the sponge and the sugar crystallises on the surface as it cools.
Step 5 — Apply the Lemon Glacé Icing
Mix the sifted icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a smooth, slightly runny glacé icing — flowing in a steady ribbon from a spoon. Stir in the lemon zest.
Lift the completely cooled and drizzled sponge from the tin using the parchment overhang. Place on a board.
Drizzle the lemon glacé icing over the top in thin, irregular lines — working from one side to the other across the width of the traybake. Alternatively, pour the icing over the entire surface and spread gently with a palette knife for a more uniform iced finish. I prefer the drizzled approach — it looks more natural, more artisan, and shows the crunchy drizzle crust beneath.
Leave the icing to set for twenty minutes. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Tips For Perfect Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Icing
Apply the drizzle while the sponge is hot and in the tin. The hot sponge absorbs the lemon juice almost completely, drawing the lemon flavour deep into the crumb. The sugar stays on the surface and crystallises as the juice is absorbed, giving the crunchy crust. Drizzle applied to a cool sponge sits entirely on the surface without soaking in.
Pierce the sponge generously before drizzling. Forty to fifty holes across the surface of the warm sponge gives the lemon juice channels to travel through into the crumb. Without piercing, the juice runs off the edges rather than soaking in evenly.
Use granulated sugar rather than caster in the drizzle for maximum crunch. Granulated sugar dissolves less quickly than caster sugar and gives a more pronounced, more satisfying crystalline crunch on the surface. Caster sugar gives a less dramatic but still very good result.
Wait until the sponge is completely cool before applying the glacé icing. Icing applied to a warm sponge melts and runs off completely. The crunchy drizzle surface needs to be completely set — the full one hour cooling time — before the glacé icing goes on.
The drizzled icing finish is more attractive than a spread finish. Thin lines of icing drizzled across the traybake show the crunchy drizzle crust beneath and give a more interesting visual than a uniform iced surface. Use a spoon moving quickly from one side to the other in thin streams.
Serving Suggestions
Cut into twenty to twenty-four squares for a bake sale — they look genuinely professional. As an afternoon tea traybake — the lemon is vivid and refreshing. At a summer gathering where something bright and citrusy is wanted.
How to Store Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Icing
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The lemon flavour deepens over the first two days.
In the freezer: Freeze without the glacé icing for up to 3 months. Apply the icing fresh after defrosting.
Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Icing Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 33x23cm tin with parchment overhang.
- Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add milk — fold gently.
- Pour into tin — spread evenly. Bake 28–33 minutes until golden and skewer comes out clean.
- Immediately pierce all over with a skewer — 40–50 holes. Mix lemon juice and sugar — do not dissolve. Pour evenly over hot sponge. Cool completely in tin — 1 hour.
- Mix icing sugar and lemon juice to a smooth, flowing icing. Stir in lemon zest. Lift sponge from tin. Drizzle icing in thin irregular lines across the surface. Set 20 minutes. Cut into squares.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from the standard lemon drizzle traybake on this site?
The standard version has only the crunchy drizzle. This version adds a lemon glacé icing drizzled over the set crunchy crust — giving two layers of lemon flavour and a more finished, more visually appealing result.
Can I use lime instead of lemon?
Yes — lime gives a more fragrant, slightly more tropical result. Use the same quantities. The icing will be a slightly different shade of white but the flavour is excellent.
Can I add poppy seeds to the sponge?
Yes — two tablespoons of poppy seeds folded through the batter with the flour give a pleasant texture and a specifically lemon and poppy seed character.
Why is my drizzle not crunchy?
Either the sugar was dissolved before applying, the sponge was not pierced sufficiently, or the drizzle was applied to a cool rather than a hot sponge. All three together give the crunch — any one missing and the result is different.
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