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    Home / Desserts

    Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

    Last update: Feb 16, 2025 Published: Feb 7, 2022 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 4.3 from 13 reviews

    Learn how to make the best lemon loaf recipe ever, complete with a tasty lemon icing sugar glaze. This recipe delivers an incredibly moist texture and a perfectly bright lemon flavor that's sure to please all lemon lovers!

    slice of lemon loaf pound cake
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients You Need
    • How to Make Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tips for this recipe
    • Storage Instructions
    • Recipe Variations
    • You will also love
    • Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

    A lemon loaf cake is a delightful treat known for its tender and moist texture. It's infused with fresh lemon flavor and topped with an easy lemon glaze, adding a tangy sweetness to every bite.

    Lemon loaf cake is a moist lemon cake crafted from staple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and fresh lemon juice. What makes it stand out is the addition of sour cream, which lends it a moist and tender texture.

    Why you'll love this recipe


    • Sweet & Lemony flavor: The freshly squeezed lemon juice and the sweet lemon glaze gives the loaf a tangy-sweet flavor that's absolutely delicious.
    • Moist and Soft: Thanks to ingredients like sour cream, the loaf turns out super moist and tender, making it irresistible and better than Starbucks lemon loaf.
    • Easy and Fast: It's a quick and easy lemon loaf cake recipe with simple steps, so you can enjoy a tasty treat without spending hours in the kitchen.

    Ingredients You Need

    You need these ingredients to make this iced lemon loaf recipe:

    • Flour. all-purpose flour, measure the quantities with a kitchen scale because the flour plays an important role in having a very tender cake.
    • Butter. Use unsalted butter with a well-softened texture or melted butter but cooled.
    • Sugar. White powdered sugar and do not use flavored sugar such as brown sugar or cane sugar which can alter the taste of the lemon.
    • Eggs. large eggs at room temperature.
    • Zest and fresh lemons. Use lemon zest and fresh lemon juice of untreated and organic lemons preferably. You can also use bottled lemon juice and lemon extract as well.
    • Sour cream. Use full-fat sour cream that you can replace with buttermilk or Greek yogurt.
    • Baking powder. Use baking powder or baking soda.
    • Salt and vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract and fine salt table.
    sliced lemon pound cake

    How to Make Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake

    Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!

    Step 1: Place room temperature butter and cut into pieces in a large mixing bowl with granulated sugar and lemon zest and mix with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes at medium speed until well blended.

    Step 2: Add eggs one at a time and vanilla extract and beat well after each addition for at least 30 seconds to incorporate. Then add lemon juice and sour cream and mix again with the mixer for a few moments.

    large bowl with butter and sugar
    mixing bowl with cake batter

    Step 3: In a medium bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients the flour mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula until the lemon cake batter is smooth.

    Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 9 - 10 inch / 22 - 25 cm long rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper. And pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top a little with the back of a spoon or an angled spatula.

    mixing bowl with cake batter
    loaf pan with cake batter

    Step 5: Bake in the oven at half height for about 50-60 minutes until the cake is puffed up and has a nice golden brown color.

    Let cool: Allow the lemon loaf cake to cool completely in the pan before trying to unmold it or it may break. Then let it cool completely on a ​wire rack.

    Make the lemon glaze

    • Place all ingredients in a small bowl, confectioner's sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice.
    • Mix with a fork until you have a smooth, creamy, liquid icing.
    • Pour glaze over the completely cooled cake and serve your lemon sour cream pound cake with whipped cream and fresh fruits.
    bowl wit ingredients
    bowl with lemon glaze

    Serving Suggestions

    • With a cup of coffee or tea – Perfect for a cozy breakfast or afternoon snack.
    • Topped with fresh berries – Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries add a fresh and fruity touch.
    • With a scoop of vanilla ice cream – For an extra indulgent treat.
    • Drizzled with extra lemon glaze – To enhance the tangy flavor.
    • Served with whipped cream – Light and airy for a perfect balance.
    • Paired with a fruit compote – A warm berry or citrus compote makes it even more delicious.

    Tips for this recipe

    • Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your eggs, butter, and sour cream are at room temperature before starting. This ensures they mix together smoothly and evenly.
    • Zest First: Zest your lemons before juicing them. This makes it easier to zest and ensures you get all the flavorful oils from the zest.
    • Proper Mixing: Mix the batter until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough cake.
    • Line the Pan: Line your loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it well to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the cake.
    • Even Baking: Rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning. The cake is ready when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
    • Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing and glazing. This prevents it from falling apart.
    • Lemon syrup: For an extra burst of lemon flavor, add lemon syrup to your warm lemon loaf cake after baking. Just poke holes in the cake and pour the syrup over it to enhance moisture and taste.

    Storage Instructions

    In the fridge: You can keep your lemon loaf cake in the refrigerator for about 1 week in a storage box or covered with plastic wrap. Take it out a few minutes before serving or put it in the microwave on low power for a few moments to restore its softness.

    Room temperature: You can store it at room temperature in an airtight container bow or under aluminum foil for about 3-4 days.

    In the freezer: It keeps very well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cut into slices and place in storage bags. Simply let it defrost at room temperature or use the defrost function of your microwave.

    Recipe Variations

    • Blueberry Lemon Loaf pound cake: Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter before baking for a burst of fruity flavor.
    • Lemon poppy seed pound cake: Add poppy seeds them to the mixture to make my lemon poppy seed cake recipe.
    • Lemon Coconut Loaf: Mix shredded coconut into the batter for a tropical twist that pairs perfectly with the lemon flavor.
    • Lemon Cream Cheese Loaf: Swirl softened cream cheese into the batter before baking for a creamy and tangy addition.
    • Lemon Strawberry Loaf: Fold chopped fresh strawberries into the batter for a juicy and sweet burst of flavor that pairs perfectly with the tangy lemon.
    • Raspberry Lemon Loaf: Mix fresh or frozen raspberries into the batter for a tart and vibrant addition that complements the lemon beautifully.

    You will also love

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      Easy Pumpkin Bread With Streusel Topping
    • Buttermilk Banana Bread
    • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
    • Easy Banana Walnut Cake
    Slice of lemon loaf cake on a table

    I hope you love this lemon sour cream loaf cake. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

    Print
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    Lemon pound cake recipe

    Iced Lemon Loaf Cake


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.3 from 13 reviews

    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    • Yield: 12 slices
    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Description

    Recipe for lemon sour cream loaf cake made served with a simple lemon glaze (for a 9 - 10 inch / 22-25 cm loaf pan, about 10-12 servings)


    Ingredients

    Lemon loaf

    • 225 g (1 ¼ cup) Sugar - granulated
    • 1 ½ lemon zest
    • 250 g (1 cup) butter - unsalted room temperature softened
    • 4 eggs - room temperature
    • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • 80 ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice 
    • 80 g (⅓ cup) Sour cream - buttermilk or Greek yogurt
    • 215 g (1 ¾ cups) Flour - all-purpose
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1 pinch of salt

    Lemon glaze 

    • 100 g (1 cup) powdered sugar - icing sugar
    • 2-3 tbsp. heavy cream - full-fat
    • ½ lemon juice

    Instructions

    Cake batter :

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 9-10 inch / 22-25 cm long rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with baking spray.
    2. In a bowl, mix together the lemon zest with the powdered sugar and set aside.
    3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes until you have a soft butter, then add the sugar infused with lemon zest and mix again for 1 minute.
    4. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla while mixing with an electric mixer between each addition to incorporate them well.
    5. Finish by adding the lemon juice, sour cream and then the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt and gently fold in with a spatula and mix until smooth.
    6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and lightly smooth the top.
    7. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes.
    8. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, which should come out clean if the cake is cooked through, otherwise extend the baking time by 5 minutes.
    9. Allow your cake to cool completely in the pan before removing from the pan.

    Lemon Glaze :

    1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, confectioner's sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice and mix with a fork until creamy and smooth.
    2. If the mixture is too liquid add confectioner's sugar and if it is too thick add more heavy cream
    3. Pour the glaze over the cake and serve.

    Equipment

    Hand mixer

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    Loaf pan

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    Stand mixer

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    Image of Zester

    Zester

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    Airtight container

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    Notes

    • You can reduce the amount of sugar but also reduce the amount of lemon juice.
      You can replace the sour cream with buttermilk or yogurt. 

    Freeze and storage : In the fridge for about 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 55 minutes
    • Category: cake, Dessert, snack
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1
    • Calories: 288
    • Sugar: 29
    • Sodium: 143
    • Fat: 12
    • Saturated Fat: 7
    • Carbohydrates: 42
    • Protein: 3
    • Cholesterol: 71

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mela

      February 08, 2022 at 11:14 am

      I love lemon and this cake looks so good and moist! Thank you for this lovely recipe, beautiful day!

      Reply
      • Fadela

        February 08, 2022 at 5:47 pm

        Thank you very much ❤️ A beautiful day to you too

        Reply
    2. Laly

      February 13, 2022 at 6:05 am

      I have made it and it is fantastic. A very moist cake.
      Thanks for your explanations about the ingredients

      Reply
      • Fadela

        February 13, 2022 at 1:46 pm

        Thank you very much for your feedback and for trying this recipe !

        Reply

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