Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Tons of bright fresh lemon flavor! The perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
Texture: Ultra-buttery and moist with a thick, luscious glaze on top.
Ease: The batter comes together in minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: The most perfect spring or summer treat that any lemon lovers will go crazy over!
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Inspired by the Starbucks lemon loaf, this homemade iced lemon pound cake is moist, rich, and finished with a thick, luscious glaze that sets beautifully before slicing.
Many lemon recipes seem to lose the intensity of the lemon flavor after baking, so I worked to find a way to pack a strong lemon punch without using difficult-to-source ingredients.
I tested batch after batch, tweaking and experimenting until I was obsessed with the final result!
Heavily inspired by Baked and Cook’s Illustrated recipes, this recipe turned out better than I could have imagined. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, tea, or dessert.
Reader Love
You will not find a better tasting, and best texture lemon loaf. I have made this recipe many times. It is truly the best lemon loaf recipe you will ever make!!!
–
Sprinkle of Science
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour + Cake Flour: In testing, using only AP flour produced a more muffin-like cornbread-y texture. Using only cake flour made the loaf too delicate and crumbly. The combination gives structure and tenderness. I highly recommend real cake flour (not DIY substitutes). Learn more about cake flour here.
- Granulated Sugar: Do not reduce the sugar. This is a high-ratio cake (more sugar than flour), which creates moisture and a tight crumb. Reducing sugar negatively impacts texture and structure. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
- Fresh Lemon Zest + Juice: The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons zest and 2 tablespoons juice in the batter — plus another tablespoon in the glaze. That’s about 3 large lemons total. This is essential for bold lemon flavor.
- Eggs: Provide richness and structure. Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter. I have not found a suitable substitute for the eggs.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture, tenderness, and enhances the tangy flavor. Full-fat plain yogurt works well as a substitute.
- Unsalted Butter: Two full sticks of melted butter give this lemon pound cake its signature buttery flavor and moist texture. Drizzle it in slowly while blending to properly emulsify.
How to Make Lemon Loaf (Step-by-Step):
- Prepare the pan. Grease a 9×5-inch light-colored metal loaf pan and preheat oven to 350°F.
- If using ceramic or glass, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.
- If baking in an 8.5×4.5-inch pan, add 5 minutes to the baking time.
- Combine dry ingredients. Sift together the cake flour, AP flour, baking powder, and salt. Don’t skip this step!
- Build lemon flavor. In a food process or high-speed blender, pulse the sugar and lemon zest. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and sour cream an pulse until combined.
- Emulsify the melted butter. With the machine on low speed, drizzle in the melted butter in a slow, steady stream. This is key to an ultra smooth batter and tight, tender crumb without needing to cream butter and sugar.
- Combine wet and dry. Make a well in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, pour in the wet ingredients. Gently fold to combine. Batter will be thin!
- Bake. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until:
- A toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- An instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature for 200-205°F.
- Cool properly. Cool in pan for 15-20 minutes. Run a thin, flexible knife around the edges of the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Glaze. Whisk together the glaze ingredients until very thick but still pourable. Spoon over the loaf and let set for 15 minutes before slicing or storing. Don’t skip the glaze, it really amplifies the lemon flavor!
Storage & Make Ahead
The cooled, glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf can be covered in foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For freeze, wrap the unglazed loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store for 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before glazing. Your loaf will likely develop a moist or tacky surface on top, but the glaze should disguise it nicely.
FAQs
What’s a pound cake?
Pound cake is traditionally made with a pound of each of the four main ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. While this makes a traditional pound cake recipe easy to remember, it doesn’t always produce the best results. You’ll see my recipe still uses a lot of butter and sugar, but the ratios vary slightly, for the best flavor and texture.
What is a lemon loaf?
A lemon loaf is a loaf-style cake with a tight, moist crumb similar to pound cake. This version is rich with butter and topped with a lemon glaze, making it both dense and ultra flavorful. It’s like a pound cake and a loaf had a baby.
Do I have to use cake flour?
This recipe uses half all-purpose flour and half cake flour for the best of both worlds. When using only all-purpose flour, the loaf had more of a muffin texture. When using only cake flour, the loaf was too delicate and crumbly.
While you can use only all-purpose flour, I highly recommend using real cake flour for the best texture here. Learn more about cake flour (and why I don’t use DIY substitutes) here.
Why does lemon flavor fade after baking?
The heating process changes the flavor compounds. That’s why I use a generous amount of zest and juice, plus a fresh glaze on top to boost the lemon flavor. The flavor will intensify as the loaf sits.
How do I know when lemon pound cake is done baking?
It’s done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. For precision, the internal temperature should reach 200–205°F.
Can I freeze lemon loaf?
Yes. Freeze the unglazed loaf tightly wrapped for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and glaze before serving.
Can I bake this recipe in a bundt pan?
Yes. Double all ingredients and bake in a well-greased 10 to 12 cup bundt pan and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes.
OR, use my Lemon Bundt Cake recipe.
Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (85 grams) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the glaze:
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
Instructions
Make the loaf:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 5-inch metal loaf pan.*
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Pulse a few times to evenly distribute the zest. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and sour cream and pulse until combined. On low speed, gradually drizzle in the melted butter in a slow steady stream until well combined.
- Make a well in the dry ingredient mixture. Pour in the wet ingredients. Mix gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Batter will be slightly thin.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes if using a metal pan, or once an internal temperature of 200-205°F is reached.
- Cool in pan for 15 to 20 minutes then run a thin flexible knife around the edges before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients until thick but pourable. Add more juice or milk to thin out or more sugar to thicken to your desired consistency. Spoon over the cooled loaf, letting it drip down the sides if desired. Let set for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
More Lemon Desserts You’ll Love:
- Glazed Lemon Cookies – my favorite lemon cookies!
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Yogurt Zucchini Bread
I liked the lemony flavor and it tasted great with the powdered sugar frosting. I did think I might like a lighter cake so I’m going to try the bundt cake version next time. I do think this would be great for a brunch served with banana bread.
I’m so glad you like this loaf, Linda! I’d recommend trying the bundt cake as well! So many in our Facebook community have tried that and absolutely loved it!
I don’t know what happened but my cake turned out to be super wet and it sank to the middle.
Please help me
I’m sorry to hear that, Minerva! It doesn’t sound like your loaf was baked all the way — a couple things can cause a cake or loaf to sink as it cools. What style and size pan did you use? Do you live at a higher elevation? Using an instant read thermometer to judge the internal temp before removing from the oven can help ensure it’s not undercooked. 205-210°F is what you’re looking for in this recipe Let me know if I can help out more!
The best lemon pound cake I’ve made! I’d have to agree with other reviewers…..it’s AT LEAST as good as Starbucks! Thank you for a great recipe that WORKS!
Thank you, Chandra! I’m so pleased you love this recipe!
Hi can’t wait to make this tomorrow! Can you use non-fat plain greek yogurt? I don’t mind running out but that’s what I have on hand. Thanks!
Sorry I didn’t get back sooner, if you’re talking about the sour cream or yogurt ingredient, yes, that is totally fine 🙂 I hope you enjoyed your loaf if you already made it!
I made this yesterday, my husband and I really enjoyed it and we aren’t really lemon people! Highly recommend.
Hooray! I’ve actually heard that from a few people now who don’t like lemon, and I’m absolutely thrilled!!
I can’t wait to make this! Can I use meyer lemons for this recipe?
I haven’t tried that, but it should be fine! It’ll probably taste a little bit sweeter.
Lots of trouble to make, with the lemon juice and the zest, etc., and the cake itself really no better than a lemon cake mix from a box. I was disappointed.
I’m sorry to hear your loaf didn’t turn out. Lots of others have had wonderful success with this recipe, there’s a reason I say it’s better than Starbucks! Is there anything that was particularly difficult with the recipe that I could help with? I’d love for you to try it again!
Do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe for a high altitude setting?
I’m not really sure because I’ve never baked at a higher altitude. If you find that you normally need to make adjustments for a recipe to turn out, then I would stick to whatever you normally do. I would recommend using the suggested 9 by 5-inch loaf pan for best results, though. If you use a smaller pan, you may run the risk of the loaf collapsing slightly in the center living at a higher altitude. Good luck!
I’ve been told lemon extract is better for achieving a strong lemon flavor. Would that work in this recipe?
I haven’t tried lemon extract in this recipe, so I can’t say for sure! The juice has such an acidity and tartness that can’t quite be replicated by extract (which is usually an oil/alcohol base). If you did try extract, you would have to modify the amount as it contains a much stronger concentration of flavor. Good luck!
It’s soooo good! People tell me it’s the most favorite thing I’ve made them!
That’s wonderful to hear, Amy!
This is now my go to recipe for lemon pound cake. I’m obsessed with getting as much lemon into any dessert and so, while this had a good amount of lemon flavor, I also gave the cake a light basting of leftover lemon juice I had after I made the glaze (before I poured the glaze on of course). It was a hit taste and texture wise. Indeed very buttery with a tight crumb. Less “cakey”and more dense, which I prefer in a pound cake. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Absolutely thrilled you love this recipe! Great idea about basting some additional lemon juice on top after baking! I’m a HUGE fan of lemon, so bring on more flavor! 🙂
Was super easy to put together! So lemony!! Love it!!