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This lemon loaf is even better than Starbucks! I make this quick lemon bread with fresh lemons and pantry staples. It’s bursting with bright, citrusy flavor, and you can boost the sweetness with a creamy lemon glaze.
Serve this loaf with a cozy white chocolate mocha at breakfast or brunch. I also love washing down slices with a passion tea lemonade in the summertime.
I’ll go ahead and say it: This homemade lemon loaf is even better than Starbucks. Since it’s a quick bread, this recipe is super easy to make. Every slice is moist, tender, and buttery, and the whole house smells like fresh, sweet lemons while it bakes. I top my bread with a simple, silky lemon glaze that makes it taste like cake! Even better, it’s the kind of cake that you can eat for breakfast.
Why I’m Hooked On This Glazed Lemon Loaf Recipe
- Better (and cheaper) than the drive-thru. Remaking my favorite coffee house treats at home is budget-friendly. And if you ask me, homemade always tastes better!
- Easy to make. Quick breads are my favorite recipes when I’m craving something delicious and short on time. There’s no yeast in this lemon loaf recipe, so it comes together quickly without any rising time.
- Great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. This lemon loaf is perfect for slicing and serving, and it transports well. Take it along to your next holiday brunch or bake sale, and I guarantee you’ll have someone ask for the recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ve covered the important ingredients you’ll need to make a soft, buttery Starbucks-style lemon loaf from scratch. You’ll find my notes here, and the full, printable ingredients with amounts are in the recipe card below the post.
- Dry Ingredients – You’ll need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Check the dates on your baking powder to make sure it isn’t expired.
- Butter – Unsalted, softened before you start. Take the butter out ahead of time, or you can bring the butter to room temperature quickly by covering it with a warm bowl for 10-15 minutes (pour boiling water into a glass bowl, wait 5 minutes, then dump it out and place the bowl over the butter).
- Fresh Lemons – Fresh lemons are what sets this homemade lemon loaf apart from its store-bought counterparts. For the best flavor in your loaf, use fresh lemon zest and juice. Bottled lemon juice and artificial extracts just don’t have the same brightness.
- Eggs and Vanilla – Take the eggs out of the fridge ahead of time so they can come to room temperature. Otherwise, place cold eggs into a bowl of warm (not hot) water for a few minutes.
- Plain Yogurt – I recommend full-fat plain or Greek yogurt. Like the butter and eggs, this can also be at room temperature. You can substitute sour cream if needed.
- Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice – To make a simple lemon glaze. The glaze in this recipe is optional, but I find it really brings out the lemon flavor.
How to Make This Lemon Loaf
Follow the steps below to whip up a quick, citrusy batter and bake it before you add the glaze. Don’t forget to scroll for the complete recipe directions in the recipe card.
- Prep the pan. First, while the oven preheats to 350ºF, grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to make it easy to remove the bread.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. Next, whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Separately, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together for 2-3 minutes, then add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Make the batter. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet batter, alternating with the yogurt. Give everything a good stir, but don’t overmix.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350ºF for 45-55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Leave the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before you take it out to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Lemon Glaze
This step is optional, but I love to finish the bread with a creamy 2-ingredient glaze. Wait until the loaf completely cools before you add the glaze. If you’d like, grate some fresh lemon zest on top afterward! To make it:
- Mix. Whisk lemon juice with powdered sugar until it’s pourable.
- Pour. Drizzle it over the cooled lemon bread loaf.
There’s also the no-glaze option. It’s just as delicious and perfect if you plan on toasting your lemon loaf slices. In this case, serve them warm and crispy drizzled with honey or smothered with butter. Or both.
Baking Tips
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing is the leading cause of dense, tough baked goods. Fold the ingredients together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, and take care not to overwork the batter. This is key for a soft, cakey lemon loaf!
- Test for doneness. Use a toothpick stuck into the center of the loaf. If it comes out mostly clean towards the end of baking, it means the bread is done.
- Don’t let the loaf cool completely in the pan. This lemon bread is easiest to remove after 10-15 minutes. If you remove it from the pan too soon, it might break. On the other hand, if you wait until the bread is completely cool, it’s more likely to get stuck in the pan.
- If the glaze is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice until it reaches the right consistency.
Make Lemon Muffins Instead!
Just like banana bread batter, you can bake your lemon loaf batter in a lined muffin tin. Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full with batter. I’d suggest following the baking directions for my lemon poppyseed muffins (350ºF for 18-20 minutes).