Easy Lemon Loaf Cake
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Easy, moist, fresh, and delicious, this is the best Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe! This soft, light, and sweet cake is made with yogurt for a moist, tender crumb, and fresh lemon juice and zest for balanced flavor. It whips up in no time and makes for the perfect anytime treat. In true Italian fashion, it’s not overly sweet and is full of delicious lemon flavor.
For more lemon desserts, try these lemon crinkle cookies and lemon ricotta cookies!
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes + 60 minutes cooling
- Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Servings: 10-12 slices
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Simple whisk-and-mix loaf cake.
- Technique: Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the natural oils, mix just until combined to keep the crumb light, and allow the loaf to cool completely before glazing for clean slices.
- Flavor & Texture: Bright, fresh lemon flavor with a soft, moist crumb from the yogurt. Light and airy, not overly sweet, finished with a smooth lemon glaze that sets beautifully on top.
Why you’ll love this family favorite!
Growing up, my mamma would buy this round lemon cake from our local grocery store — the one with the thick, heavy sugar glaze. You know the one!
Every week, it sat on the counter on my great-grandmother’s beautiful cake plate, tucked under a glass cloche. My friends always knew there would be a slice waiting after school. At the time, my mom worked long days and didn’t always have the time to bake and cook dinner every night, and honestly, that store-bought cake was more than appreciated.
But when she did have the time, she made her own lemon loaf. Light, airy, bright with real lemon, and so much fresher than anything from a box or bakery shelf.
To this day, this is the lemon loaf cake recipe I always come back to make. It’s the kind of cake you can wrap up for a friend, bring to a small gathering, or keep on the counter for anyone who walks through the door. If you love lemon as much as I do, you’ll also adore my lemon biscotti.
Made With Amore,
“This loaf cake is so easy to make, and wow the flavors burst in your mouth. I definitely will be making this again soon.”
– Kristina
Simple Ingredients
- Yogurt: The secret to this loaf’s soft, tender crumb. It adds moisture and a slight tang that enhances the lemon flavor without making the cake heavy. Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the richest texture. Use the extras to make this easy tahini sauce.
- Oil or Butter: You can use either, depending on the texture you prefer. Oil creates a loaf that stays moist for days and has a softer crumb. Butter adds a slightly richer flavor and a bit more structure. Both work — it simply comes down to preference.
- Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice: Fresh lemon is non-negotiable here. The zest provides concentrated lemon aroma, while the juice brings brightness and balance. For the strongest flavor, rub the zest into the sugar before mixing — this releases the natural oils and intensifies the citrus notes throughout the cake. I also use fresh lemon to make this lemon tiramisu recipe and lemon curd recipe.
- Lemon Extract + Vanilla Extract: Lemon extract boosts and stabilizes the citrus flavor, especially once baked. Vanilla rounds everything out and softens the lemon’s sharp edges, making the flavor taste balanced rather than overly tart.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream creates a smooth, luscious glaze that sets beautifully on top. It gives a creamy finish without making the glaze watery, allowing that bright lemon flavor to shine through in every bite.
See the recipe card for exact measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the Greek Yogurt: You can use the same amount of sour cream instead. It will be slightly richer and tangier, but still delicious. You can also use sour cream to make these homemade banana bars.
- Blueberries: These are optional, and the lemon loaf turns out great with or without them. You can also swap the blueberries for raspberries, diced strawberries, or blackberries. For more berry desserts, try my strawberry crumble.
- Gluten-Free: You can swap the flour for a gluten-free blend that contains xanthan gum. Readers have said it worked well using Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend, but I haven’t tested this method.
- Lemon Olive Oil Loaf: I often use olive oil even when baking. It brings a slightly fruity, Mediterranean flavor that pairs especially well with the yogurt and gives the loaf a tender crumb that stays moist for days. If you prefer a recipe written using olive oil, try this orange olive oil cake or my lemon olive oil cake.
How to Make Lemon Loaf Cake
This lemon loaf cake couldn’t be easier to make! You can make it in one bowl. See the recipe card below for a printable version.
To get started, preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to make it easy to remove the loaf cake from the pan. Lightly spray the parchment with nonstick spray.
- Combine the sugar and lemon zest and rub together with your fingers until fragrant and slightly moist.
- Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture using an electric mixer until pale and thick, about 4–5 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients.
- Gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix. If using blueberries, gently fold them in at this point.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Use a knife to make a shallow line down the center of the loaf.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely, about 45 minutes.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream until smooth and thick to make the lemon glaze. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of cream or milk.
- Pour the lemon icing glaze over the cooled loaf, letting it drip down the sides. Slice and enjoy
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Infuse the Sugar with Lemon Zest: Rub the fresh lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips before mixing. This releases the natural citrus oils and distributes bright lemon flavor evenly throughout the cake.
- Sift Dry Ingredients Over the Wet: Sifting the flour, baking powder, and salt directly over the wet ingredients keeps the batter light and prevents pockets of unmixed flour.
- Mix Just Until Combined: Once the flour is added, stir gently and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the loaf dense instead of tender.
- Coat Berries in Flour: If adding blueberries or other berries, toss them lightly in flour before folding them into the batter. This helps prevent sinking and reduces color bleeding.
- Protect the Top if Needed: If the loaf is browning too quickly in the oven, tent it loosely with foil during the last portion of baking to prevent over-darkening.
- Cool Before Glazing: Allow the loaf to cool completely before adding the glaze. This helps it set beautifully on top and ensures clean, even slices when serving.
Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe FAQs
Of course, just note that your bake time will vary depending on the size of your pans. One reader reported success making seven mini loaves and baking them at 350ºF for about 35 minutes, if that helps. However, I haven’t tried it this way.
Yes, you can use frozen berries. Make sure to toss them in a little flour before adding to the batter or the color will bleed and and make the batter purple
A sunken center usually means the loaf needed just a bit more time in the oven. Even a few extra minutes can make a difference. Always test the very center with a toothpick. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. Other common causes are an oven that runs slightly cool or moving the cake too soon after baking. Let the loaf rest in the pan for about 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. That short cooling time helps the structure finish setting so it stays beautifully domed and tender.
Dryness typically comes from overbaking or too much flour. Check for doneness early and remove the loaf when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs. Using oil instead of butter can also help it stay moist longer.
Fresh lemon juice is strongly recommended. Bottled juice lacks the bright, fresh flavor that makes this cake special. The zest is especially important for the real lemon aroma.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Make Ahead: This loaf tastes even better the next day and is perfect to make ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Storing and Freezing: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It tastes best if you bring it to room temperature before serving. Freeze the cooled loaf or slices, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
We love to pour heavy cream on top of slices for a little extra creamy goodness. You could also add freshly whipped cream if you fancy that better, or even a scoop of ice cream.
Enjoy slices for breakfast or brunch along with this easy breakfast casserole or this breakfast casserole with hash browns, and Italian fruit salad.
It’s also great enjoyed as part of a dessert spread. Pair it with a variety of flavors and textures like this Italian chocolate cake and peanut butter bars.
More Easy Cake Recipes
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Best Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup neutral oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1 ½ cups blueberries, lightly tossed in flour
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, about ½ lemon
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest, about ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Lemon Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Lightly spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and slightly moist.
- Using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs until pale and thick, about 4–5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, oil (or butter), vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold just until combined. Do not overmix. If using blueberries, gently fold them in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Use a knife to make a shallow line down the center of the loaf.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes, before glazing.
Lemon Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream until smooth and thick. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Too thick? Add a few drops of cream or milk.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf, letting it drip down the sides. Slice and enjoy 🍋
Notes
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar before mixing to release the natural oils and boost citrus flavor throughout the loaf.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients to keep the batter light and prevent pockets of unmixed flour.
- Stir just until no dry streaks remain once the flour is added. Overmixing can create a dense, tight crumb.
- Toss blueberries or other berries lightly in flour before folding them in to help prevent sinking and excess color bleeding.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the final portion of baking.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before glazing so the glaze sets beautifully and slices stay clean and even.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Elena tonight I made the lemon blueberry pound cake,it came out delicious.My husband love it.I do have a question. While the cake was cooking on the wire rack the middle of the cake started to collapse.Can you tell me what I did wrong,because I do want to make it again and I don’t want to make the same mistake on my next try thank you Maria
Hi Maria,
I’m so happy to hear you loved the cake, and that your husband enjoyed it too 🤍
If the center collapsed, it’s usually one of a few things: the cake may have needed a few more minutes in the oven, the oven temperature could be running a bit low, or the cake was moved or cooled too quickly. Make sure to test the center with a toothpick, it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Also, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack so the structure can set.
I’m so glad you’re making it again, and I know your next one will be perfect. Thank you so much for baking along with me! 💛