Easy Lemon Loaf Recipe

If you’ve ever enjoyed a slice of Starbucks Lemon Loaf, then you are in for a treat! This lemon cake recipe is better and cheaper than good old Starbies. Moist lemon cake topped with a sweet lemon glaze, this is a recipe that you’ll want on repeat.

Serve this easy lemon loaf cake with a platter of Easy Orange Scones for a fantastic afternoon treat, complete with a mug of French Press Cold Brew Coffee. It’s the perfect addition to your summer baking repertoire.

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• Get Meal Plan 1
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• Lemon Loaf Cake

When you grow up with a lemon tree in the backyard, you learn to make lots of lemony things: Lemon Meringue Pie, easy to make Pink Lemonade, and the perfect Lemon Loaf.

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, and this cake tops the list.

This lemon pound cake is packed with bright lemon flavor and is practically addicting. You may want to make a double batch so you can hid ea loaf in the freezer.

Why Make This

It’s an affordable alternative to the coffee shop. With inflation making take-out and restaurant meals cost prohibitive, you can still enjoy your favorite treats when you bake at home. This Lemon Loaf is the perfect starter recipe.

It’s easy. You can mix up this recipe in just minutes and bake it off in a bread loaf pan. While more a cake than a lemon bread, it’s quick and simple to bake!

It’s delicious! I’ve been making this Lemon Loaf for over 25 years and it’s incredible. My kids practically inhale it as soon as I set it out. It’s perfect to add to your Easter Desserts!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Lemon Loaf:

sugar – Use granulated, white sugar for the best texture and color in the cake. You’ll need powdered sugar for the lemon glaze.

neutral oil or butter – We tested this lemon cake recipe with both avocado oil and salted butter. Both were delicious. The lemon shines through a bit more with oil, but the lemon-butter combo is also very good.

egg – You’ll need two eggs for this recipe. Don’t skimp; they add richness that an egg substitute just can’t mimic.

plain yogurt – Plain yogurt has so many uses brings a nice tang to the cake; it’s a budget kitchen staple in my opinion. You can also use buttermilk or sour cream if that’s what you have.

lemons – You’ll need both the lemon zest and the fresh lemon juice of 2 lemons for both the cake and the glaze. Using freshly squeezed lemon juice does give it a great flavor over bottled or lemon extract. Remember you can freeze lemon zest and juice if you’ve got extra.

flour – I use unbleached, all-purpose flour, but you can use regular as well as whole wheat pastry flour.

leavening – You’ll need baking soda and salt. 

Variations

Choose a different flavor. You can substitute the zest and juice of other citrus fruit if you like, such as grapefruit, lime, or orange.

Choose a different topping. While the lemon glaze on this loaf is delicious, you can be a little saucy with this cake by drizzling on some Lemon Sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make Lemon Loaf:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and oil. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stirring well to combine.
• Stir in the yogurt, zest, and juice.

• In a second bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold to combine.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a tester inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool on a rack.

• While the cake is cooling, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle this over the cake and allow it to set before slicing and serving.

FAQs

Great Starbucks Copycat Recipes