This Classic Glazed Lemon Loaf tastes just like the legendary Starbucks lemon pound loaf. It is soft and moist bursting with tangy lemon flavour and glazed with a sweet, delicious frosting.
I love using lemons in my recipes, it gives the most amazing flavour to baked goodies. This recipe however is my all time favorite lemon recipe. The taste and texture of this cake is truly exceptional.
Never dry, Always soft, I have found this recipe to be absolute perfection. Topped with a lemon flavoured glaze, takes this cake to a whole new level of deliciousness.
And don't even get me started on the absolutely heavenly smell of this loaf baking. With all that lemon scent wafting around your home, oh my goodness, it is so yum. This is seriously sunshine on a plate!!!
Making this loaf is really easy, let me show you how it is done.
Making the Classic Glazed Lemon Loaf
To start, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
Add grated lemon zest and keep aside.
In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and beat well.
In this bowl, add the flour and buttermilk alternately. That is add in ½ the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the other half of the flour mixture ending with the last half of the buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan and bake at 320°F /160°C for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remember that this is only a guide as oven temperatures vary, so it might bake a little faster or slower depending on your oven.
After it has baked, remove it from the oven and leave in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and brush with a lemon juice and powdered sugar syrup. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze, add 2 Tablespoons milk or boiling water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or lemon extract to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar.
If you prefer the glaze thicker, then add ¼ cup more powdered sugar at a time and mix to your preferred consistency.
If you prefer the glaze thinner, then add a teaspoon at a time of the milk or water and mix to your desired consistency.
An absolute winner of a dessert, easy to make and wonderfully delicious.
Enjoy ♥
Classic Glazed Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
FOR THE LEMON LOAF
- 1 ½ cups / 180g all-purpose / cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup / 115g butter room temperature
- 1 cup / 200g white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup / 125ml buttermilk or yogurt SEE NOTE 1
FOR THE LEMON SYRUP
- 1 Tablespoon / 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons sifted confectioners’ / powdered sugar
FOR THE GLAZE
- 1 ½ cup / 180g confectioners’ / powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon / 30ml milk or boiling water
- 1 tablespoon / 15ml lemon juice or lemon extract
Instructions
FOR THE LEMON LOAF
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C Grease and line a 9x5-inch / 23 x 13 cm loaf pan.
- In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt and set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and lemon juice and beat well.
- In this bowl, add the flour and buttermilk alternately. That is add in ½ the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the other half of the flour mixture ending with the last half of the buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan and bake at 320°F /160°C for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remember that this is only a guide as oven temperatures vary, so it might bake a little faster or slower depending on your oven.
- After it has baked, remove it from the oven and leave in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and brush with a lemon juice and powdered sugar syrup. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
FOR THE SYRUP
- Combine the lemon juice and sifted powdered sugar and mix well
FOR THE GLAZE
- To make the glaze, add 2 Tablespoons milk or boiling water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or lemon extract to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar. SEE NOTE 2
Notes
- If you do not have yogurt or buttermilk then make your own by adding 1 teaspoon / 5 ml lemon juice mixed into ½ cup ( 125ml) milk
Set aside for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. - If you prefer the glaze thicker, then add ¼ cup more powdered sugar at a time and mix to your preferred consistency. If you prefer the glaze thinner, then add a teaspoon at a time of the milk or water and mix to your desired consistency.
Nutrition
neil@neilshealthymeals.com says
I'm a big fan of Starbucks Lemon cake. So much so I recreated it myself too! You and I obviously have very similar tastes Ashika. And your lemon glaze sounds amazing. Yum!
Faeeza Salie Kaisvel says
Yummy !Luv it
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
This lemon loaf sounds so light and full of lemon flavor! We love all things Lemon over here in our house so I know a loaf of this would not last long!!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
You're so right! Nothing compares to the smell of lemon baked goods in the oven. In fact, I might have to make this loaf today so my kitchen will smell like lemon cake 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
Baked lemon sweets are so good! I bet this makes your house smell so heavenly. Wish I had a slice of this!!
sheenam | thetwincookingproject.net says
I love lemon loaf!! This looks yummy!!
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
I love lemon as a flavour so I know I would want multiple slices of this lovely looking loaf.
Andrea Dietel says
Does this call for buttermilk or yogurt? The recipe and directions say buttermilk but the note and the pictures are yogurt. Could you clarify?
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Andrea, You can use either plain unflavored yogurt or buttermilk. If you do not have buttermilk or yogurt, the note is a guide to help you make your own and use as an alternative in the recipe. I hope this helps answer your question 🙂
Happy Baking 🙂
Kathryn says
This is an excellent lemon loaf with nice crumb--moist and full of lemon flavor. It was easy to make and everyone who tried it commented on how good it was. I make several at a time and freeze them. I put the final glaze on after defrosting.
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Kathryn, Thank you 🙂
I am so pleased to hear that you loved this loaf too and it's great that everyone enjoyed it too.
Making several and freezing is always a good idea, perfect for saving time and having a delicious bake for you or your guests 🙂