Would you believe me if I said that this loaf has changed my life? Well, it has. It is unbelievably easy to make, and undeniably delicious to eat. It is soft and firm, tangy and sweet; it is everything.
My brother was craving lemon loaf one night, so we did what anyone would do — we went to a Starbuck’s drive through and bought a slice of lemon loaf (if you’re wondering, yes, it was awkward to only order a slice of cake at 7 p.m.). When we got home, I did the worst thing. I looked up the nutritional information of the beloved Starbuck’s pastry. I was shocked. The amount of random ingredients in a single slice was unfathomable — and so, I was determined to re-create a loaf with ingredients I could read. After exploring the web for lemon loaf recipes, I found myself on one of my favorite blogs, Avery Cooks. Her recipe hits the nail on the head, she is a baking queen, her lemon loaf recipe is heavenly.
I made this loaf twice in less than 24 hours.
Most of the ingredients required for this cake are probably in your kitchen — with just a few “fancy” ingredients.
If you love the Starbuck’s lemon loaf, then I promise you’ll love this one. It’s 100% better — for you and your tastebuds.
If I haven’t sold you on this loaf yet, then take a look at these photos and recipe steps; you’ll be surprised (and enamored).
Lemon Loaf
INGREDIENTS:
Loaf
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon extract
- 1-1/2 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
- Pre-heat oven 350 degrees and line and grease loaf pan.
- Mix eggs, sugar, and greek yogurt; slowly add oil, continuing to mix.
- Mix in lemon zest and lemon extract.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt; the mixture will look lumpy — this is okay, do not over mix the batter.
- Bake in oven for 40 minutes and then place foil over the top (to prevent further browning), then continue to bake for 10 more minutes.*
- Once cake is baked, allow to cool for 1 hour, and then mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice, drizzling desired glaze on top of the cake.
- Allow glaze to set and serve.
NOTES:
- Recipe Credits: Avery Cooks
- You may substitute the greek yogurt with sour cream, if desired.
- Lemon extract is the best way to give the punching lemon flavor; this ingredients is absolutely necessary. It can be found at local grocery stores, such as Walmart or here.
- The total baking time for this recipe is 50 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, cover the loaf pan with foil to help prevent further browning on the top.
- If you have more time, I recommend allowing the cake to cool in the pan for as long as possible — and then glazing. Once you put the glaze on, cool for an hour. This will ensure that the loaf is firm and the flavors mature.
