Lemon drizzle cake without zest in the cake mix?

[OMGitsnotgood]

I zested half a dozen lemons to make limoncello, and froze the lemons in quarters to use for dressings etc.
Visiting a friend tomorrow who's having a tough time and plan on making her favourite lemon drizzle cake.
Usually I add zest to the mix and juice in the drizzle. I'm waiting in for a signed for delivery, could do with using the time to make the cake, but don't have a lemon to zest and don't want to go out to buy one.
Would no zest really impact the flavour? I'm undecided.

That was my worry. I wondered about drizzling initially only with lemon juice, then following with lemon & sugar for crusting?

It won't be quite what you're used to, but it will be fine. I often make it with CIF lemon juice, just add a bit to the cake mix as well as the drizzle.

It will be fine
I normally make the drizzle sharper than most recipes, it gives a tart lemony hit in the cake , probably more suited to adults than children

Just go get a lemon.

Did you read the OP?

Thank you for the helpful comments, think I'll give it a go. Friend will appreciate gesture I think.

I CBA to zest lemons, most of it sticks to the grater anyway, so I just prick the cake all over with a skewer as soon as it’s out of the oven and drizzle it with lemon juice mixed with a very little icing sugar.

I never use zest. I use lemon extract and lemon juice in the mix and then boil lemon juice with some sugar which I then spread over the baked cake. Probably can do without extract too.

Oh I CBA grating lemons either. I've got one of these and it's fab. I sometimes chop the strands of zest a bit it I want it to be a bit finer.

I don't like lemon zest (the bits get stuck in my teeth) so I don't ever use it in my lemon drizzle cakes, I do as @YourWinter does and give the cake a little 'feed' of lemon juice to make it squishier and more tart.

I always use Nigella's Domestic Goddess recipe but don't add zest as one of the children didn't like it years ago. Add more lemon juice. It's lovely!

Thank you for all the suggestions. I did make it yesterday while waiting in for delivery. Drizzled first with just lemon juice and once it had soaked in with warmed lemon and sugar (I read somewhere ages ago, if the cake is warm, use cold drizzle; if the cake is cold, use warm drizzle).

Didn't mention lack of zest to friend and she had a second slice this afternoon so it was ok for her I assume! I had a slice and was tasting it 'critically' and to be honest couldn't tell the difference. Maybe if I'd tasted one with and one without zest side by side I'd tell the difference but that wasn't an issue today.

Love how MNetters have answers for such random questions! Thanks again

I know you've already done it but thought I'd explain..

Without lemon rind your cake will have none of the lemon oils released from the skin by grating. This is what really adds to the flavour.
So in short you can but it won't taste as zingy and intense. For those who cba to zest, a microplane grater and unwaxed lemons make it a cinch. My old grater was awful but I now have a new micro plane one and it is practically a pleasure to use it. Makes lovely grated Parmesan too.

I'd have agreed with you until today!