My Lemon Drizzle ALWAYS falls in. Always. Why ? Why why why?

[slouchingtowardsBethlehem]

Please help experienced MN bakers. I am a reasonably good baker who can mostly turn out an acceptable cake. But never, ever a proper Lemon Drizzle ...and it's my favourite cake. I've tried the famed MN Lemon Drizzle - deelish but it comes out high around the edges, flat in the middle. So I've just tried the Mary Berry Lemon Drizzle - SAME PROBLEM.

I just throw lots of lemon juice and sugar at the problem and it still tastes nice (if a bit squidgy in the flat, middle part). But I want to make Lemon Drizzle my signature cake. It's my favourite. It's many people's favourite. So please, please tell me where I am going wrong.

I am baking at a high altitude - I wonder if this could be the reason. But my other cakes rise fine, with no adjustments. Anyone ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I have just made my 4th lemon drizzle cake. The first time I made it I used a loaf tin that was slightly too small and it overflowed but was still good to eat. The next three I used the right size tin but all three sunk badly in the middle. I have checked this site and other sites trying to find a reason for it but still don’t have an answer. I used 4 eggs initially but today I used 3 to reduce the amount of liquid but still it sank. I have looked at the Tana Ramsey recipe which everyone suggests always works. It is exactly the same recipe that I have used and all mine sank in the middle. I don’t put lemon juice in the cake, only lemon zest. I have made a Victoria sponge today as well and the two halves have cooked beautifully and risen well so why not my lemon drizzle cake. Tastes great but looks a mess. The recipes for the Victoria sponge and the lemon drizzle are very similar. The tins are different in that the lemon drizzle is baked in one loaf tin and the two Victoria sponges are cooked in 2 round cake tins. The temperatures and quantities are the same. Any ideas please would be gratefully accepted.

Glad I am not the only one whose lemon drizzle sank in the middle. My cakes normally turn out quite well, so rather disappointed. Followed the Mary Berry recipe to the letter including the oven temp and baked for 40 mins. I don't have a 2 lb loaf tin so used a 8 in/20 cm square tin instead as similar depth. I think I should have given it another 50-10 mins maybe in the oven? Used both SR flour and baking powder. It's quite an expensive cake to make and find out that's not quite right. Oh well. Can't win them all.

Lemon drizzle can be tricky! A dip in the middle often happens if the oven temp is a bit low or the batter is slightly too wet. Try reducing the liquid a little or baking it a few minutes longer. High altitude can also make cakes sink, so a tiny bit more flour can help balance it out. Hope you get your perfect lemon drizzle soon! 🍋✨

Thank you ByMintSnail !