Lemon Loaf Cake (Print Version)
Moist, tender lemon loaf with vibrant citrus notes and a zesty glaze. Perfect for a sweet treat or afternoon delight.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
10 - ½ cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Lemon Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy release.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
03 - In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, approximately 2–3 minutes.
04 - Add the large eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add the reserved dry flour mixture and the whole milk to the wet ingredients, alternating between them. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
06 - Pour the prepared batter evenly into the greased and floured loaf pan, smoothing the top surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
08 - Allow the baked lemon loaf to cool in its pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure it is fully cool before glazing.
09 - To make the glaze, whisk the sifted powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze generously over the completely cooled cake. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You'll adore how effortlessly this cake comes together, even on a busy weekday.
- It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart, bright enough to lift any mood.
02 -
- Never, ever overmix the batter once the flour is added; this is the secret to a truly tender crumb, a lesson I learned after a few dense loaves.
- Using room temperature ingredients, especially the butter and eggs, makes a world of difference in achieving that smooth, emulsified batter.
03 -
- To ensure your loaf bakes evenly and avoids a sunken middle, make sure your oven is accurately preheated and don't open the door too early.
- For the juiciest lemons, give them a good roll on the counter under your palm before zesting and juicing.