This tested until perfect recipe for Lemony Lemon Loaf not only has a tender and moist crumb, but it is bursting with that tangy flavor that lemon lovers crave. You are going to love this better than Starbucks lemon bread!
I don’t know about you, but I love recipes using lots of lemons! The culinary possibilities with this humble fruit are truly endless!
We all have recipes that use some part or another of the lemon. Whether it’s the pulp, juice, zest, or peel.
It is common knowledge that you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice for many alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
It is also a key ingredient in so many sweet or savory dishes. More often than not, the simple addition of lemon juice or lemon zest gives any dish that wow factor.
If you are a lemon lover, get ready for an incredible burst of freshness… you are going to love this better than Starbucks lemon loaf!
Lemon loaf ingredients
- Dry Ingredients. This consists of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Lemon zest. A necessary ingredient when making lemon bread.
- Butter. Responsible for the tender crumb of this lovely cake.
- Sugar. When creamed with the butter, creates the perfect texture.
- Eggs. Just a couple.
- Lemon Juice. The perfect amount to contribute to a tangy loaf.
- Milk. Another essential ingredient to make a loaf with the perfect crumb.
Optional ingredients include icing sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.
As far as accessories are concerned, you need a stand mixture (or a handheld one).
You will also need a rectangular 9 x 5 (2L) loaf pan, a whisk, and a lemon zester.
Are you ready to begin!
How to make Lemon Loaf
It is important to get your pan ready before you begin so either grease and flour or spray non-stick spray in a 9 x 5 (2L) loaf pan.
Next, let’s combine the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside while we begin the process of making the best quick bread recipe.
Place the softened butter in the bowl of a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer and with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Slowly add the sugar slowly, in a thin stream and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another whirl.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time. Once again, it is important to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. This only takes a few seconds and ensures uniformity in the mixture.
At this point, notice how the mixture is thick. It will look a little different when the lemon juice is added, so don’t be shocked.
Notice how the mixture looks like curdled milk when the lemon juice is added. This is normal.
The next step is to alternate the addition of the dry ingredients and the milk. At low speed, add half of the flour, followed by half of the milk and repeat one more time.
Finally, pour into the greased pan and bake in a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven for about 60-75 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool down completely on a wire rack.
As an option, combine the ingredients to make a lemon glaze and brush over the top of the bread. For an additional lemon flavor, poke a few holes over the surface of the bread allowing the glaze to permeate the bread.
Tips
- Ensure the oven is preheated to the right temperature.
- Take out the milk, eggs and butter 30-60 minutes before starting.
- Cream the softened butter, then slowly add the sugar until light and fluffy. This step takes at least 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and properly beat after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the bowl during this process.
- Reduce the speed to low when adding the flour and milk. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Lemon zest is an ingredient in this recipe. This is the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel. Use a micro-plane or a box grater for grating. Make sure you only grate the yellow part as the white pith is extremely bitter.
- Make this lemon dessert your own by adding slivered almonds (½ cup) or poppy seeds (2 tablespoons).
How long does it take to soften butter? Take the butter out of the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before starting your recipe.
How can I get the most juice out of a lemon: In order to maximize the amount of juice we can get from one lemon, we need to break down the membranes located inside the lemon. Here’s how:
- start with room temperature lemons. In a pinch, you can always microwave a lemon for 30 seconds; allow to cool down and proceed;
- place the lemon in a bowl of warm water;
- vigorously roll the lemon on the countertop for a few seconds;
- cutting the lemon lengthwise allows you to get a better grip and therefore more juice;
- use a lemon reamer or other gadget to extract more juice.
Pro Tip: Sometimes lemon loaf recipes will indicate juice from one lemon. An average lemon will provide you with about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Lemon Recipes we Love
Origins of the Recipe For Lemon Loaf:
This lemon loaf cake recipe has been in my possession for well over 35 years. It’s a handwritten recipe that I have made countless times for fundraising events and church bazaars.
This easy loaf recipe is appreciated by both young and old.
You’ll get a little bit of sweetness, a whole lot of tanginess and a melt in your mouth texture, all courtesy of this lemon bread recipe.
Enjoy!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this lemon loaf recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Lemon Loaf: The Best Recipe Ever!!!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 284 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup milk room temperature
Lemon Glaze (optional):
- ½ cup icing sugar sifted
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C) .
- Grease and flour (or use non-stick spray) a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl of stand mixer beat butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add the sugar and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time. Make sure you scrape the bottom of your bowl.
- Add lemon juice (the batter will curdle).
- Alternate addition of flour and milk (in 2 additions). Mix on low speed until combined. Do not over mix.
- If using add-ins, combine gently at this point.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60-75 minutes until golden and cake tester comes out clean.
- Transfer pan to a rack where it can cool down for about 10 minutes before removing loaf to cool down completely on a wire rack.
Lemon Glaze: Whisk together icing sugar and lemon juice. With a cake tester, poke some holes in the loaf. Brush glaze over warm loaf.
Video
Notes
Tips
- Ensure oven is preheated to the right temperature.
- Take out the milk, eggs and butter 30-60 minutes before starting.
- Cream the softened butter, then slowly add the sugar until light and fluffy.This step takes at least 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and properly beat after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the bowl during this process.
- Reduce the speed to low when adding the flour and milk. DO NOT OVER MIX.
- Lemon zest is an ingredient in this recipe. This is the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel. Use a micro-plane or a box grater for grating. Make sure you only grate the yellow part as the white pith is extremely bitter.
- Make this lemon dessert your own by adding slivered almonds (½ cup) or poppy seeds (2 tablespoons).
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 8, 2015 and republished on March 1, 2019 with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for watching and sharing!
Emilie
Can you freeze the cake after? And if so, how will it turn out defrosted?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Emilie. I have frozen this cake and have gotten great results. I thaw overnight in the fridge and then bring it to room temperature.
Emilie Ulriksen
Thank you so much; i’ll bake a few and put in the freezer for later.
I look forward to trying them out.
Maria
My pleasure Emilie!
Pat Harris
I have a hard time removing the loaf from the pan I spray the sides with non stick spray but it still sticks any suggestions
Maria
I am sorry to hear this Pat. This has never happened to me. I guess it must be the type of pan you have. Perhaps the next time you make it you can try greasing and then lightly flour the pan. Hope that helps. Thanks for stopping by.
Letitia
I make this to give to the hard-working folks at the United States Post Office. They really appreciate it that people care about them, too!
Maria
How very thoughtful Letitia. I absolutely agree! Thanks so much for sharing.
Diya
Hi, can I use buttermilk instead of sour cream ? need to get rid of my buttermilk 😉
Maria
Hi Diya, there is no sour cream in this recipe but if you need to use up your buttermilk, I suggest this buttermilk cake. Thanks for stopping by.
Susan M Sears
Delicious! It overflowed the cake pan – I should have used a larger one than the 9×5. I scraped the overflow off the floor of my nice clean over as soon as it was cooked, it tasted delicious too. Now to clean the oven again!
Maria
Oh no! I am so sorry about your oven but thrilled to hear you enjoyed the cake. There are a few readers that have experienced this and I have no idea why… Initially, I thought it was the baking powder but from what I have read, there is no difference between the single and double-acting variety. I will continue to research… Thanks again for sharing!
Kiara
This is delicious. I had to replaced the butter with extra virgin olive oil because that was all I had and it turned out just perfect. No bitter aftertaste, it was soft and moist. I’ll keep using the olive oil as I don’t want to jinx it!
Maria
Amazing Kiara! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mike Defoe
Delicious! I wonder if all the glaze should be used. I did poke the loaf all over with a toothpick, and brushed glaze over thoroughly, but had over half left over. I was afraid of having a mushy mess.
Maria
Thanks for you interest Mike. It does actually absorb it with becoming “wet”. Thrilled to read you enjoyed the loaf!
Kate
In the oven now. Wondering about the pros and cons of the glaze, whether to do it or not.
Maria
Thanks for your interest Kate. The glaze does bring the flavor of the loaf up a notch… but it is equally refreshing without it. Enjoy!
Melanie
I loved this recipe when I saw it. Sadly, my loaf deflated when I checked at the 45 minute mark. I know I did not overmix the flour or milk and followed the recipe exactly. Not sure what happened. Though I did notice after I added the flour and milk, the batter had the consistency of pancake mix. I’m so sad. I really wanted this to work out.
Maria
I am also sad to read this Melanie. Just wondering about the baking powder, was it expired?
Kathleen
This was great! I came out with a lot more than I expected, so filled up some muffin cups with it, too. Thank you for the recipe!
Maria
My pleasure Kathleen! Glad you enjoyed it.