This Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake is tender, moist and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Light and satisfying, this easy lemon loaf is perfect for enjoying as a refreshing snack or light desert.
Similar in texture to a pound cake, this lemon loaf cake is moist and buttery with a tender crumb. The loaf is topped with a simple lemon glaze that adds an extra layer of sweet tanginess.
This cake is a lovely way to welcome spring and makes a beautiful addition to Easter or Mother's Day celebrations. If you love lemon desserts, you will want to check out this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, it's an absolute must-try!
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How to Make it
With just a few simple ingredients and easy steps, this loaf delivers buttery lemon flavor in every bite. You'll find the full list of ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Ingredients Overview
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and soda for leavening.
- Salt: To enhance all the flavors.
- Unsalted butter: If using salted butter, simply omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar: I have not tried this recipe with any other sweetener or sugar substitute.
- Large eggs
- Fresh lemons: We're using both the zest and the juice.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture and a subtle tang. Yogurt works well as a substitute.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar and a touch of milk or heavy cream: Used to make the sweet, tangy glaze.
Steps Overview
- Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease and flour it.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat again for approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes. Test cake with a toothpick or a cake tester to see if the loaf is done.
- Place the loaf pan on a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before removing the loaf cake. Let the cake cool until slightly warm and pour the sweet lemon glaze over the top.
How to Zest and Juice a Lemon
Since this recipe uses both fresh lemon zest and juice, it's best to zest the lemons before juicing them. A good zester will make this task easier.
When zesting lemons, be sure to grate only the outer yellow layer, as the white pith underneath is bitter and will impart a bitter taste to your baked goods.
To get the most juice out of your lemons, roll them firmly on the counter a few times before cutting. This simple step will help you get more juice out of them with less effort.
How to Make Lemon Glaze
The most challenging part of making this Lemon Loaf Cake is having to wait for it to cool enough to glaze it. The delicious lemon glaze in this recipe is a simple mixture of icing sugar (confectioners' sugar), a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a touch of cream or milk.
To make the lemon glaze, just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. You can add more lemon juice if you prefer it tangier, and more cream or milk to get a thinner glaze.
This easy lemon glaze gives the loaf a bit of extra sweetness and an extra hit of tanginess. Instead of topping the entire bread with the glaze (as shown in the pictures) you can simply use a fork or whisk to drizzle the lemon glaze on parts of the loaf.
If you have any leftover glaze, you can use it to drizzle on other baked treats such as these Blueberry Lemon Scones.
Serving Suggestions
This refreshing cake with a bright lemon flavor will not disappoint. It's perfect for serving at brunch alongside fresh fruit, for an afternoon snack with a cup of tea, or dressed up with a dollop of whipped cream for a satisfying dessert. However you serve it, this lemon loaf is sure to bring a little sunshine to the table.
Storage Instructions
This lemon loaf can be made ahead and frozen for up to three months. For best results, freeze it without the glaze. Simply wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and place it in a large freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once the loaf has fully thawed and come to room temperature, add the glaze.
Enjoy!
More Must-Try Loaf Recipes
- Healthy Carrot Bread
- Pear, Date and Walnut Loaf
- Lemon Zucchini Walnut Loaf
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Loaf
Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1-¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from two lemons
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream I used full-fat sour cream, yogurt will also work, but not the zero fat kind.
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup icing or confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice more to taste
Instructions
Lemon Loaf Cake
- Place a rack in the middle section of your oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, beat again for approximately 30 seconds.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and the vanilla extract.
- With mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Approximately, ⅓ of the flour mixture, then add ½ the sour cream, add ⅓ of the flour, add the remainder of the sour cream, and then the rest of the flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake the loaf for 45 to 55 min. With a toothpick or a cake tester, check to see if the loaf is done at 45 min, if the toothpick comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs the loaf is done, if not, check again in 5 minutes. Mine took 50 minutes to bake.
- Place the loaf on a rack to cool for 15 minutes before removing the loaf from pan. Remove loaf and let cool until cake is slightly warm. Pour lemon glaze on loaf.
Lemon Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners sugar with lemon juice and cream or milk, whisk until smooth and pour onto the loaf while still slightly warm. Let glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap loaf in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. To thaw, place loaf in the refrigerator overnight. Remove loaf from refrigerator and let come to room temperature before adding glaze.
Nutrition
This post was originally published by Sweet and Savoury Pursuits on March 26, 2018.
Karen says
Your glazed lemon loaf cake sounds perfect for this summer served alongside some sliced fresh fruit or berries.
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Hello Karen! You're absolutely right, this would be delicious with some fresh berries. Thanks for stopping by!
ANITHA says
Looks absolutely delicious! I'll try with yoghurt I guess.
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thank you, yogurt will work!
urbanfoodlover says
Looks so tempting to eat 🙂
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thank you!