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
Recipe origins
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.
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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!!!
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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!
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Susan Deugo
What a wonderful lemon loaf, it was so delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe it is outstanding.
Maria
My pleasure Susan! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this lemon loaf recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it 🙂
Debra Levine
Really good recipe made even more special by serving with homemade lemon curd. Made exactly as written except I used half and half in place of the milk because that is what I had on hand. Also, used a 12 x 3 inch loaf pan and it worked out great. Thanks for a top-notch recipe to use up the abundance of lemons I had.
Maria
I can only imagine how wonderful this lemon loaf must be with homemade lemon curd… sounds delicious! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with this recipe Debra, appreciate it 🙂
Karen
Can u share the recipe for the lemon curd please?
Louise
Perfect recipe – this loaf is absolutely delicious! I’ve been craving lemon everything lately and this hit the spot. My family finished it in just 2 days! haha. Saving this one for sure. Think I will make another one tomorrow already 😉
Maria
How wonderful to hear you enjoyed this lemon loaf Louise. Truth be told, it doesn’t last too long with my family either. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Anita
Love lemon! Currently have a plethora of lemon and lime juice here, so looking around for recipes that use copious amounts of it and found this. Living in 5th wheel camper and baked it in the electric skillet. Didn’t make the top golden but the texture and flavor are perfect! Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Maria
Amazing Anita! I would have never thought of that. This lemon loaf is just perfect for an excess of lemon juice. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it 🙂
Karmen
I just baked a double batch. It made three aluminum foil baking pans. Which are smaller than the 9×5 loaf pan. I baked it 60 minutes. A bit golden brown on top. I glazed it after 15 minutes and allowed it to cool completely. Very moist. Rich texture! Delious! I will make this again!
Maria
Amazing Karmen! You made my day! Thanks for taking the time to share, really appreciate it ♥
Angel
Hello! I was scouring the internet for lemon loaf recipes and could not find the perfect one (until this!). I tested this out and loved the results, it was so moist with a nice hit of lemon. The loaf was a little undercooked on the inside but starting to brown a little to much on the outside. I cooked it at 350 degrees for 75 minutes. I am giving this as a gift so would like to have it perfectly cooked. Any suggestions? Again, I love this recipe, great job!
Maria
Hi Angel, thanks so much for your kind words, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this lemon loaf.
As you probably know, no two ovens are the same. It used to be that you would turn the oven on to a set temperature and that was it. Today, there are all kinds of settings from convection to aero bake… there are so many choices!
The only way to really know the actual temperature of the oven is by using an oven thermometer and verifying if it corresponds to the desired temperature. In order to check for doneness, I suggest using a wooden skewer. If you find that your loaf is still not done, but browning on the top, you can always place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the top and make sure that most of the heat is coming from the bottom.
Another thought I just had is about using the right sized pan (as indicated 9×5) as there is a lot of batter.
I am sure the next time you bake this loaf you will get great results. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with this loaf 🙂
Shannon
I have to leave a comment here, because being gluten free and dairy free, I seldom come across recipes that I find taste awesome. I have to say that this recipe worked really well with my gluten free flours and soy milk. I was worried it would be too dense or too crumbly, but it turned out Awesome. The taste is wonderful and it is nice and moist and not too dense or crumbly. It is good for you to know that your recipe works for those with allergies. All I did was substitute my gluten free flour mix for the flour and soy milk for the milk. I also like to use raw cane sugar and used that as well. Thanks for the recipe. I will be using it again!!!
Maria
How wonderful Shannon! I am extremely grateful to you for taking the time and sharing your gluten free and dairy free modifications to the recipe. I am positive other readers will find much value in this comment, as do I. Thanks again 🙂
Alyssa
Hi there, the loaf looks absolutely delicious! About to make it tomorrow but just a question: will it affect the recipe much if I substitute regular milk for almond milk? Not dairy free or anything, it’s just the only milk I have in the house at the moment. Thanks!
Maria
Thanks Alyssa! Great question. Although I’ve never tried it, it should work out fine. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to make the lemon loaf with almond milk. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Alyssa
Hi Maria, I made this loaf today with almond coconut milk and it turned out fabulous!! Awesome cake; buttery and moist, nice and lemony – you can’t taste the almond coconut flavour at all! I only added 1 cup of sugar and for me that was perfect. I also skipped the glaze and it’s just as delicious without. Thank you for the amazing recipe, this will be my go-to lemon loaf from now on. Keep up the great work 🙂
Maria
Alyssa, thanks so much for getting back to me and sharing your experience making this lemon cake with almond coconut milk. Thrilled to hear it turned out great for you. truly appreciate it 🙂
Sing
So moist, so delicious, and so gloriously beautiful!
I would recommend using extra lemon juice and adding lemon zest for the glaze to boost the flavor. Perfect dessert with milk. Will def recommend and remake again. 🙂
Maria
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this lemon loaf recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and taking the time to comment. Appreciate it 🙂
Sarah
Delicious! Do yourself a favor and DO NOT skip the glaze. I tried a piece before the glaze and it was okay but after the glaze it is irresistibly lemon-y and moist.
Maria
I agree, the lemon glaze bumps the flavor over the top! Appreciate your comment Sarah, thanks so much for stopping by 🙂