This lemon loaf cake with icing is the only lemon cake recipe that you'll need. It's buttery, moist, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor! Our readers agree that this iced lemon loaf tastes way better than the Starbucks lemon loaf!
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Why This Is The Best Lemon Cake Recipe
Because this is a success-guaranteed recipe, even one of our 11 years old readers have made it with huge success! I've tested this recipe many times to make sure you can't go wrong with it.
With this easy lemon loaf cake recipe, you'll have fresh lemon zest and juice in the lemon bread, which is then drizzled with lemon syrup and finally iced with lemon glaze. Bursting with lemon everywhere!
Imagine all the different layers of lemon flavor in one bite! Amazingly delicious!
This is not a copycat of Starbucks lemon loaf because this lemon drizzle cake tastes way better than Starbucks! I promise!
If you're obsessed with lemons, you must make my lemon meringue pie, almond lemon cake, lemon meringue cupcakes, and no-bake lemon cheesecake!
Ingredients For This Cake
Lemon - Use fresh lemon for both the zest and juice. I can't stress enough how fresh ones are a game-changer in highlighting the bright, tangy lemon flavor in this recipe. 3-4 fist-sized lemons should do it.
Baking powder - Although when using acidic ingredients like lemon juice and yogurt call for using baking soda, in this case, a huge no! It'll neutralize and water down the lemon flavor of this lemon loaf cake.
Greek yogurt - Use full fat. This is what's making our lemon pound loaf cake moist and tender. Full-fat sour cream works great also, like when I used it in my lemon almond cake.
*See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Mix dry ingredients. Mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a handheld whisk for 10 minutes. If using a standing mixer, cream for 4-6 minutes on medium-high speed with a paddle attachment.
3. Mix in eggs and lemon zest. Add the eggs one by one and make sure to mix well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract together with the first egg.
4. Alternate the dry ingredients with yogurt and lemon juice. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, followed by yogurt and lemon juice. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix everything together.
5. Bake. Pour batter into a greased and lined 4.4x10-inch loaf pan (1-pound loaf pan). Bake at 350ºF for 60 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
6. Poke. While the lemon loaf cake is still hot, poke some holes all over it with a skewer.
7. Drizzle lemon syrup. Dissolve sugar with lemon juice by gently heating it in the microwave. Drizzle the lemon syrup all over the hot cake, making sure it gets into the holes. Leave the cake to cool completely in the pan.
8. Pour lemon icing. Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice at a time with powdered sugar using a spatula. The lemon icing needs to be thick but still pourable.
Pour on the cake and spread evenly with the help of the back of a spoon. Leave for the icing to harden before slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Expert Tips
- Use fresh lemons. For the zest and the juice! Store-bought lemon juice has lost its bright tangy lemon flavor. Trust me, go with fresh lemons, it's a game-changer like in my lemon blueberry cake. Delicious!
- Not expired baking powder. Check for its expiry date. It happened to me so I'm giving you a heads-up! Even if you do everything 100% correctly, your cake will not rise as much and will sink in the middle if the baking powder is expired.
- Don't over-mix. Once adding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, make sure to never over-mix the batter. This will produce the softest and fluffiest lemon loaf cake ever!
- Gradually add lemon juice for the icing. Don't add the lemon juice all at once. The lemon icing need to be thick but still pourable. Too much lemon juice will make the icing look transparent.
- It tastes better the next day! Yes, it's true! So if you like to do things in advance like me, then make this lemon loaf cake with icing a day before serving it.
Variation Ideas For This Cake
- Omit the icing. The cake alone is already delicious with amazing lemon flavor. The icing is the cherry on top, and although I highly recommend it, it's okay if you want to omit it.
- Use other citruses. Lime, orange, mandarin, or even grapefruit works great for this recipe.
- Make lemon coconut cake. Add a subtle touch of coconut by folding in ¼ to ⅓ cup of desiccated coconut at the end. Oh wow!
- Make lemon poppy seed cake. Add texture by folding in 2-3 tablespoon of poppy seeds at the end.
- Make lemon cupcakes. You'll get around 12-15 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes. Use cupcake liners to remove them easily from the pan.
How To Store And Freeze
Store - In an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze - Wrap the cooled cake that has been infused with lemon syrup with a cling film. Freeze in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge and then bring it to room temperature. Only then make the lemon icing and pour it on top.
Another delightful dessert that freezes great is my layered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and the tarts in my healthy lemon tarts. They're out of this world delicious and easy to make!
Recipe FAQs
The lemon loaf is like a lemon pound cake that's made from butter, sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, and my addition, yogurt (makes the cake super tender and moist!). It's then infused with lemon syrup and then poured with lemon icing.
If you follow the instructions and didn't change a thing, then the culprit has to be that your baking powder has expired. It happened to me!
If it's not expired, your oven temperature was too high. Use a portable oven thermometer to get an accurate temperature.
Or you've opened the oven door during baking time. No opening the door before 45 minutes of baking time.
Adding Greek yogurt! You'll get super moist cake without even trying. Sour cream works great too.
Absolutely! Freeze it without the icing. Wrap the lemon loaf cake that has been infused with lemon syrup with cling film in an air-tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, bring to room temperature, and then glaze it.
Absolutely! Just make sure to use full-fat sour cream
More Lemon Recipes
If you tried this Lemon Loaf Cake with Icing or any other recipe on our website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Loaf Cake With Icing
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- ½ cup (125 g) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Syrup
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar , sifted
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF using top and bottom heat, without the fan. Butter and line the loaf pan. You can use a 1-pound loaf pan, a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or a 4.4x10-inch loaf pan (the one that I'm using).
Dry Ingredients
- Mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl using a spoon. Set aside.
Wet Ingredients
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, using a handheld whisk for 10 minutes. If using a standing mixer, whisk for 4-6 minutes on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment.
- Whisk in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and 1 egg. Then add the rest of the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
- Add half of the dry ingredients on low speed, mixing just to combine from this stage onwards. Whisk in yogurt and lemon juice and then finally, the rest of the flour.
Bake
- Pour batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 60 minutes on the lower ⅔ rack until it's fully cooked or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once cooked, remove it from the oven and immediately prepare the lemon syrup.
Lemon Syrup
- Add sugar and lemon juice into a bowl. Heat gently in microwave until sugar is dissolved.
- Poke holes all over the cake using a skewer. While the cake is still hot, pour the lemon syrup on top and brush evenly. Leave the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once it's cooled, transfer it to a serving plate.
Lemon Icing
- Mix powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl using a spatula. Gradually add more lemon juice until you get a thick icing but still pourable. Too much lemon juice will make the icing transparent.
- Pour the icing on the cake and spread it evenly using a spatula. Let the icing hardens before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use the spoon and level method if using cup measurements. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale as it's more precise.
- Use a portable oven thermometer to get the accurate oven temperature. I use it every time I bake.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Efua says
Am thinking of trying this recipe soon, can I use milk instead of the yoghurt?
Bea says
Somebody said they used buttermilk instead of yogurt and it worked beautifully! 🙂
MELISSA KARINE LACHI says
Era a receita que procurava! Perfeita!
Obrigada pela dedicação deste post.
Deus te abençoe 😘
Bea says
Obrigada Melissa! 😘
Georgette Thomas Rhymer says
Love it. The cake came out great. I used buttermilk instead of yogurt. The icing was a bit to tangy for the kids, I will redo the icing with less lemon juice. THANK YOU FOR SHARING👍
Bea says
Hey great to know that buttermilk works too! Thanks for sharing the info, Georgette!
Beth says
Hi Efua,
Did you substitute 1:1 of yogurt to buttermilk?
Shelly says
I made it and wow it’s better than Starbucks
Thank you thank you
Bea says
Hey that's huge! Makes me happy! Thank you so much Shelly! 😍
Bakerbaby says
THIS IS THE BOMB!!!!!!! I am 11 and I am trying to prove my skills to my family and this was just the perfect thing it was so delicious!
Bea says
Hey that is super amazing!! I congratulate you! Keep doing what you do, you're doing awesome! And thank you 🙂
Michelle says
I always wanted a recipe better than the one in my family for generations and I can say this is it. It was so delicious.
Bea says
I personally love family recipes as they come with years of memories. I'm happy to know that you liked this one also. Thank you!
THODORIS AMPATZOPOULOS says
Congratulations for your recipe looking so tasty!!! Please can you tell me if you baking it with fan or oven resistor and if oven resistor whick scale you use?
Bea says
Hi Thodoris! I bake it in the oven without fan, with high and bottom heat, putting it on the 2/3 lower rack. Hope it helps, thank you! 🙂
Rose says
It’s so soft, delicious and velvety ☺️☺️🤩 the perfect combination of ingredients. I coated it with the syrup but I didn’t do the icing cause I had no patience - really wanted to eat the cake ASAP 😂 I love the outcome ! Thanks for sharing the recipe 😋-
Bea says
Haha! Maybe next time you'd try with the icing then but hey, I'm happy that you loved it. Thanks Rose! XO
Thatchayani says
I tried the cake yesterday and it was a big hit. just that my icing was too sour but the cake was simply great. Btw i used the normal baking pan to bake this cake instead of loaf pan. Thank you for this awesome recipe. I have few doubts here. Firstly, i would like to ask if i would like to make this cake in a big proportion, all i have to do is just double up the ingredients right? and how about the timing? since big proportion, the time taken for the cake to bake is 60 mins as well?
Bea says
Hi! I'm happy that you loved it. To know if the cake is cooked through, insert a skewer in the middle. When it comes out clean, then it's cooked. I can't give you the exact time since the size and type of pan effects the baking time. Hope it help 🙂
Thatchayani says
Can i use normal pan to make this cake instead of loaf pan?
Bea says
Yes, just adjust the cooking time. Hope it helps 🙂
Cherry Pie Ishikawa says
I made this, I used part butter part oil, and also used just half of the stated amount for frosting to make a light drizzle on top. It still tasted great. But next time I would use all butter intead and probably a little more as suggested by one reviewer, for added moisture and creaminess to the cake. I loved the full lemony taste.
Anita Paz Meneses says
Hello from CHILE!
This is a fantastic recipe. I prepared it in my home and then there was nothing left on the plate. I would like to prepare this same recipe but with blueberries. It's possible? How many blueberries do I need to prepare the cake?
Thank you!
Claudia Dominguez Vieira says
Adorei seu bolo!! Quero mais receitas de bolo seu!
Bea says
Me alegro que te haya gustado Claudia! 🙂 Si quieres, puedes darle estrellas a la receta que haz probado al dejar un comentario, eso me ayuda mucho. Gracias!
Priscilla says
Great and simple recipe. I love everything from cake to syrup to the icing are all so lemony 🍋. I added a bit more butter and yoghurt and the cake was so moist and silky. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Bea says
That's great, thank you so much Priscilla! XO
Siyeon says
👍👍👍👍👍
Bea says
Thank you Siyeon!
Veronica says
Made this for my boyfriend, since he loves lemon desserts. He loved how lemony it is, it reminded me of lemon bars. Very decadent, This is an absolutely fantastic recipe and will be my go to in the future.
Bea says
That's great Veronica! I'm happy to know that you both loved it. And you're right, this cake is very lemony. Thank you so much!
Pearl says
Awesome cake. Thank you. It'll be my standard now !!