Lemon Loaf

This Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe is a moist lemon cake with a stunning white chocolate lemon glaze on top! It's super easy to make, full of fresh lemon flavor, and has the a tender and moist crumb that will have you hooked at first bite!

For more lemon desserts, try this Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes, Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes!

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Substitutions
• Pro Tips
• How to Make Lemon Loaf Cake
• Variations
• Storing
• Recipe FAQs
• More Cake Recipes
• Lemon Loaf

This easy Lemon Loaf Cake is my new obsession. The cake itself is just so soft and tender and bursting with lemon flavor. Then there's the glaze! It's a white chocolate lemon ganache that makes this already buttery lemon cake have an added layer of decadence. It may be a mouthful but it's a simple lemon glaze that is so easy to make, you could do it in your sleep.

I've tried so many lemon cake recipes and I've always found that the lemon flavor was more subtle as opposed to packed with that tangy flavor at first bite. This recipe, however, is quite the contrary.

It has the perfect balance of lemon and vanilla flavors and uses lemon zest and lemon extract to give you that undeniable citrus punch in every bite. Lemon lovers, bookmark this recipe!

Dare I say that my homemade version is even better than the Starbucks lemon loaf?! It's such a great recipe that I stand behind that statement. And trust me, I've tried tons of copycat Starbucks recipes and this is truly the best lemon loaf.

Let's make this cake together with step-by-step photos below to ensure this becomes new foolproof, tried and true go-to lemon loaf recipe.

Happy baking!

Ingredient Notes

Dry Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour and Cornstarch - this combination is essentially cake flour which makes for a soft and tender cake.
• Baking Powder - make sure your baking powder isn't expired!
• Ground Ginger - yes, ground ginger! Believe it or not, ginger actually enhances the lemon flavor. You don't really taste the ginger at all.
• Kosher Salt

Wet Ingredients

• Lemon Zest - we're using fresh lemon zest for added lemony flavor.
• Granulated Sugar - adding white sugar for both sweetness and moisture!
• Unsalted Butter - be sure to use room temperature butter that been sitting at room temp for at least 30 minutes.
• Vegetable Oil - you can also use olive oil, canola oil, or any neutral oil.
• Eggs
• Lemon Extract - if you don't have lemon extract, you can use fresh lemon juice instead. I like using lemon extract
• Vanilla Extract - to smooth out the strong citrus flavor.
• Whole Milk

Delicious Lemon Glaze

• White Chocolate
• Heavy Cream
• Lemon Extract

If you prefer a more traditional lemon icing, you can use 1 ¼ cup of powdered sugar, 2 tbsps of lemon juice, and 1-2 tbsps of milk. Simply whisk it all together and pour it on top of the cooled cake.

You'll also need a 8.5x4 inch loaf pan.

Substitutions

• Lemon Extract: if you've run out of lemon extract, you can use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice instead. For the best flavor, make sure it's fresh lemon juice as opposed to the bottled store bought stuff.
• Whole Milk: any milk can be used here whether that be oatmilk, cashew milk, almond milk etc.
• Gluten Free: use your favorite gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour.

Pro Tips

• Cream butter, oil, and sugar together for the full 5 minutes! This makes sure that the cake is nice and fluffy by beating air into the butter. Once the butter mixture is a pale yellow, you can begin adding the eggs.
• For best results, be sure to use room temperature ingredients to prevent the batter from breaking. This specifically refers to using room temperature butter, eggs, and milk!
• When mixing the lemon zest and sugar, make sure to mix for at least 3 minutes to squeeze all of the lemon flavor out of the zest and into the sugar. It makes a huge difference!
• I recommend using a stand mixer but it's not mandatory for this recipe. You can use an electric hand mixer too!
• If you notice that the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, cover the edges with a piece of foil and continue baking.

How to Make Lemon Loaf Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8.5x4 inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
• First step, mix together the dry ingredients - flour, cornstarch, baking powder, ground ginger, and kosher salt. (Image #1)

• In a separate bowl, make the lemon sugar. Combine lemon zest and sugar. Pinch together for about 3 minutes, until sugar becomes a pale yellow. (Image #2)

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add room temperature butter, vegetable oil, and lemon sugar and cream together on medium speed for 5 minutes. Then add eggs, one at a time. (Image #3)
• Add lemon extract and vanilla extract and continue to mix until combined.

• Add half of the flour mixture into the bowl, then add the milk, and then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until combined and smooth. (Image #4)
• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. (Image #5)

• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once cooled, make the white chocolate lemon glaze. In a small bowl, add 2 tbsps of heavy cream and white chocolate and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk together until all chocolate is melted. If not fully melted, microwave for an additional 10 seconds. Whisk in remaining 1-2 tbsps of heavy cream and add lemon extract.
• Pour glaze on top of the loaf.

Variations

• Add poppy seeds! Make this iced lemon loaf into a lemon poppyseed cake by adding 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the cake batter!
• Use another citrus! Mix it up a little bit and try swapping lemon for grapefruit, orange, meyer lemons, or even limes!
• Add a lemon simple syrup. While the cake is still hot, pour lemon syrup all over the cake for added lemon flavor!

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. I do not recommend storing this loaf in the refrigerator as it can cause it to dry out.

Freezing: Once the cake is cooled and the glaze is set, cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in an airtight container to prevent it from becoming freezer burnt. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQs

More Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Ganache Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake
• Strawberry Crunch Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Lemon Cream Cake
• Black Velvet Cake
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