Makes 1 large loaf, yields 6-8 slices
The cake:
• 1 cup (200g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup caster or fine sugar (200g)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1.5 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/2 (120g) milk
• 3 tbsp, fresh lemon juice
The icing:
• 1.75 cup (200 g) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp (25-30g) lemon juice
• 1 tbsp buttermilk (make it by adding 2-3 drops of lemon juice to milk & let sit for 10 mins)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
Method:
• Preheat the oven to 165C. Grease a large loaf pan with oil or butter. Set aside. Prepare your lemon zest and juice before you start baking.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• In a small pourable container, mix together milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the milk starts to split.
• Scrape the sides of your butter bowl and add the eggs one at a time. Scraping the sides of the bowl and the beating in between each addition.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir on low until almost combined. Then, add half of the milk and the lemon juice and stir to almost combine. Repeat this process with the remaining dry and wet ingredients, and fold with a rubber spatula to incorporate the last bits of ingredients.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is not wobbly. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• When the cake is slightly cool, prepare the glaze.
Whisk together all the ingredients until a viscous glaze forms. Add more powdered sugar to thicken it up or more milk to thin it out. Drizzle over top of the prepared cake and enjoy!
• Decorate with candied lemon peel, lemon slices or additional lemon zest!
For a low-sugar option, let the cakes cool and sift a light dusting of powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp of cornstarch on top (the cornstarch allows for the powdered sugar not getting absorbed in the cake). This loaf tastes just as good without the icing so you can omit it should you choose!
For Chef Tooba Haq, baking isn’t just a passion — it’s a piece of home. Her earliest memories in the kitchen are tied to her grandmother, who would bake with her every Saturday after tennis lessons. From doughnuts to muffins, cakes to bread, those weekend rituals became the foundation of her love for food. Even when she wasn’t baking alongside her grandmother, Tooba found herself drawn to cooking shows and early YouTube videos, unknowingly setting the stage for her future career. Her Instagram journey began during university in London, right at the height of the platform’s 2017 food craze. As a journalism student learning to cook for herself, Tooba started documenting her recipes — a creative outlet that blended her love for food with her writing. It wasn’t until she returned to Pakistan, burnt out from her PR job during the pandemic, that baking became more than a hobby. Rediscovering it as a form of escape, she leaned into her blog, transforming it into a full-fledged career. Of course, the journey from hobbyist to chef wasn’t without its mishaps. Tooba jokes that her early creations were far from picture-perfect, but a short baking program at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in 2022 became a turning point. Learning from professional chefs refined her skills and reshaped her approach in the kitchen — a shift that led her to develop what she now calls a “simple but elevated” style. For our April issue, Tooba shares a recipe close to her heart: a bright, zesty lemon loaf. “Lemon is nostalgic for me,” she says, reminiscing about the lemon tarts from club bakeries she loved growing up. It’s one of the first recipes she truly mastered — a staple in her home thanks to its vibrant citrus kick, easy-to-find ingredients, and beginner-friendly steps. Tooba is venturing beyond her baking roots with ‘Toobie’s Table’ — an intimate, themed supper club featuring five-course menus that push her culinary creativity. It’s more than a dining experience; it’s a tribute to her blog’s beginnings and a celebration of community around the table.