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A glazed lemon loaf cake garnished with lemon slices and rosemary on a white plate.

Lemon Loaf

Chef Jenn
This Lemon Loaf is bright, moist, and finished with a zesty lemon glaze—perfect for brunch, dessert, or a citrusy afternoon snack.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings
Calories 423 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

  • 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment, leaving overhang for easy removal.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
  • Combine the sugar and lemon zest in another large bowl. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until it is fragrant.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time until light and fluffy using electric hand mixers or a stand mixer. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  • Mix in dry ingredients just until combined—don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the Lemon Loaf in the pan 20 minutes, then lift onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
  • Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Add more juice to thin if needed.
  • Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let it set for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • Rubbing the zest into sugar really brings out the lemon oils—don’t skip it.
  • Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled, for the brightest flavor.
  • For easy slicing, let the glaze fully set before cutting.
  • Store leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container to keep the cake moist.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 1gSugar: 54gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 1mg
Keyword easy lemon cake, glazed lemon bread, lemon loaf, lemon pound cake
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