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This is the BEST super easy and moist Lemon Loaf Cake and it is incredibly delicious. It is full of lemon flavor and it has the most soft and moist texture plus it is topped with a lemon glaze. This lemon loaf cake recipe is so easy and it will be quick family favorite.
This Lemon Loaf Cake is so delicious and full lemon flavor. It is super soft and has delicious moist crumb. The loaf cake is topped with a simple lemon glaze. This loaf cake has the most amazing texture and is a family favorite. This delicious moist lemon pound cake is so good you’ll want to make it on repeat and you'll never need to buy a slice of Starbucks lemon loaf again.
For more loaf cake recipes, try Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, Blueberry Pound Cake and Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Lemon Loaf Cake: This loaf cake is super soft and delicious, and is full of lemon flavor.
- Lemon Icing: The loaf cake is topped with a simple lemon icing.
- Simple decoration: This cake is decorated with lemon slices, making for a no-fuss kinda of cake.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Sugar: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake.
- Eggs: Let the eggs come to room temperature before baking.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream makes for a a super soft and tender cake. Measure out the heavy cream and let it come to room temperature.
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake the Lemon Loaf Cake. This recipe needs a hand whisk, a bowl and a rubber spatula. It can also be mixed together in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 320ºF conventional oven. Grease a 21,5 x 11,5 cm /8,5x4,5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a medium bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the eggs and whisk until combined.
STEP 2: Pour in the heavy cream, and whisk until combined. For the dry ingredients, place a sieve onto the bowl and sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into the batter. Then pour in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
STEP 3: Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Take a butter knife and insert it into the top of the batter in the loaf pan and run it a straight line down the middle of the batter. Bake it for 75-90 minutes, depending on your baking pan size.
TIP: If the baking is larger or smaller it can affect the baking time, therefore bake it until a cake tester or tooth pick comes out clean.
STEP 4: Let the loaf cake cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the loaf cake from the cake tin and let it cool down completely.
STEP 5: Place the lemon loaf cake on a serving dish. Mix all the ingredients together for the lemon glaze and drizzle it over the loaf cake. Optionally, decorate it with lemon slices once the icing has fully set.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the in the center of the loaf cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
Yes, make the cake as instructed and store it in an airtight container or covered by plastic wrap.
STORAGE
Store the lemon loaf cake on the kitchen counter in an airtight container or covered by plastic wrap. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.
Other Loaf Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Lemon Loaf Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON LOAF CAKE
- 330 g granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 160 g heavy cream room temperature
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 85 g vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
LEMON GLAZE
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 4-5 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon heavy cream to thicken the glaze, optional
- Fresh lemons slices for decoration
Instructions
LEMON LOAF CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 160ºC/320ºF conventional oven and prepare a 21,5 x 11,5 cm /8,5x4,5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Have enough baking paper on each side of the pan, so you are able to lift the loaf cake out of the pan.
- In a mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand.330 g granulated sugar, Zest of 2 large lemons
- Add the eggs and with a hand whisk, whisk until combined. Then pour in the heavy cream, and whisk until combined.4 large eggs, 160 g heavy cream
- Place a sieve onto the bowl and sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into the batter.240 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Then pour in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and lemon juice and gently stir it together until smooth and combined.85 g vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Take a butter knife and insert it into the top of the batter in the loaf pan and run it a straight line down the middle of the batter. Bake it for 75-90 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Note: If the baking is larger or smaller loaf pan, it can affect the baking time, therefore bake it until a cake tester or tooth pick comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cake cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the loaf cake from the cake tin and let it cool down completely.
LEMON GLAZE
- Place the lemon loaf cake on a serving dish. Mix all the ingredients together for the glaze and pour it over the loaf cake. Optionally, decorate it with lemon slices once the icing has fully set.150 g powdered sugar, 4-5 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon heavy cream, Fresh lemons slices for decoration
Immer Bravo
Excellent recipe, I loved the texture of the pound cake, very soft and moist with the delicious lemon flavor, the only thing I didn't have was heavy cream and I substituted it with whole milk, good recipe, first recipe that turned out as seen on the internet, it was the texture I wanted, congratulations
Zuri
This pound cake was nice. The lemon flavor was noticeable but not overpowering. It was moist but still light. My only problem was that for some reason the surface of the cake turned brown almost immediately so I had to cover it with tin foil. I really enjoyed it though and can only recommend this recipe
Barbara De Rose
Absolutely unbelievable 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 Delicious, never tasted a lemon pound cake that tasted this good.
THANK YOU 🥰
Julie Marie
I'm so so happy to hear that 😀
Mira
Hi,can we use Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream?
Julie Marie
I wouldn't recommend it as it'll change the texture of the cake.
Iben Pernille
Best lemon pound cake ever, and so easy to make.
Iben Pernille Nielsen
The best lemon pound cake I’ve ever tasted and so easy to make.
Shelisah
This is the most AMAZING loaf! I cut 30 g of sugar, and used coconut oil because thats all I had. But it came out amazing! Making another loaf tomorrow. Thank you for this amazing recipe!