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Say hello to your new favorite loaf cake: a buttery, citrusy homemade iced lemon loaf! The batter is filled with fresh lemon zest, the cake is soaked in a tangy lemon syrup after baking, and it’s topped off with a drizzle of sweet lemon glaze. This bakery-worthy lemon cake beats anything you’ll find at your local coffee shop (yes, even Starbucks!).
This lemon loaf recipe is pure sunshine! In just 25 minutes, you can whip up the batter and have the cake ready to head into the oven.
Bursting with bright lemon flavor, the cake bakes up super soft and plush with a tender crumb. Sour cream and 2% milk add plenty of moisture and richness, and fresh lemons infuse each bite with citrus. This loaf is made for lemon lovers!
Love baking with lemons? Find more inspiration in my collection of lemon desserts!
Overview: How to Make Lemon Loaf
Combine lemon zest and granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute to combine. This quick step releases all the zest’s natural oils, adding extra flavor to the cake!
Cream the butter and lemon-sugar mixture together for about 3 minutes, until the texture is light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl with a spatula as needed.
With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
The batter is nice and thick, similar to my lemon pound cake. Spoon it into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
Bake for about 52 to 55 minutes, until the top springs back to the touch and a tester emerges with a few moist crumbs.
Remove cake from the oven and immediately brush the top with warm lemon syrup (to seal in the moisture and add another layer of lemon flavor). Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cool, drizzle the cake with lemon glaze. I also love topping slices with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and fresh berries!
More favorite lemon cakes:
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Homemade Iced Lemon Loaf (Bakery Style)
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf cake
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade iced lemon loaf is better than Starbucks! The batter is filled with fresh lemon zest, the cake is soaked in a tangy lemon syrup after baking, and it’s topped with a drizzle of sweet lemon glaze!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (9 g) fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) 2% milk, at room temperature
Lemon Syrup
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Place sugar and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Beat butter and lemon-sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula and tap sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake loaf cake for 52 to 55 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Make lemon syrup: In the last five minutes of baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and immediately brush the top with lemon syrup. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely.
- Drizzle lemon glaze over cake and let set before serving.
- Store leftover cake at room temperature overnight (tightly covered) or in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Photography by Saltwater Studio
Absolutely delicious!!
Beautiful cake, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Super moist with a wonderfully tender crumb. Love this cake!
Great to hear this, thanks for sharing your feedback!
This cake turned out amazing! The icing gives it a nice burst of lemon.
Thanks so much, Rachel!
So moist and fluffy! I used meyer lemons and stuck to the recipe, and the lemon flavor really came through.
Love to hear this, thank you Anianne! Meyer lemons are always a great choice. 🙂