Easy Lemon Loaf Cake
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Easy, moist, fresh, and delicious, this is the best LEMON LOAF CAKE! This soft, light, and sweet cake made with yogurt and lemon zest. 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.
More delicious cakes you will love: Easy Italian Pear Cake (Torta di Pere) and Italian Chocolate Torte.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This easy lemon loaf cake is lovely with or without the blueberries. This cake is a staple in our home. Since it is so easy, I make it on weeknights and on a lazy weekend afternoon. It is a great cake to deliver to a friend or bring to a small gathering. If you love lemons, you will also enjoy this lemon biscotti recipe.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Yogurt
- Oil or butter
- Lemon zest
- Lemon extract
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
See the recipe card for exact measurments.
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.
- First, whisk together the eggs and lemon zest with sugar until pale yellow.
- Add yogurt and extracts and mix.
- Then, add the dry ingredients before drizzling in the oil.
- Turn the lemon loaf batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake until the top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
This lemon loaf cake needs to cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying! It is worth the wait.
Lemon Loaf Cake with Blueberries!
Recently, my mamma and I started making the lemon cake with blueberries. They add a little pop in your mouth and create just the right juicy fruity flavor without overpowering the cake itself. Try it both ways and decide for yourself which you like best!
We also like to just pour heavy cream on top for a little creamy goodness. You could also add freshly whipped cream if you fancy that better.
I’ve served this for breakfast, as a snack, and even dessert. This is the only Lemon Loaf Cake recipe you will ever need. Print it. Pin it. Save it and remake it. Bring to a friend. Enjoy it. Make it with Love. That’s it!
Equipment
Here is my favorite tool for zesting lemon: MIRCROPLANE (I do not recommend knock off versions of this brand). My favorite Loaf Pan.
More Easy Cake Recipes:
Poppy Seed Cake with Orange Almond Vanilla Glaze
Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)
FAQs
I don’t recommend doing so, as that would change the taste of the lemon loaf cake too much. If you want an orange olive oil dessert, make my Orange Olive Oil Cake recipe instead.
I’ve had quite a few readers ask about using gluten-free flour in this Lemon Yogurt Loaf Recipe. I’ve only made the recipe as written, but readers have reported success using either Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour or Cup4Cup gluten-free flour. I can’t say for sure if using a gluten-free flour will work, but this is what readers have recommended!
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, this lemon loaf freezes incredibly well. It can be frozen up to 6 months. Be sure to wrap it tight with plastic wrap and place it inside a freezer bag. If making with the blueberries, I do not recommend freezing it.
Growing up my mamma would buy the round lemon cake covered with heavy sugar glaze from our local grocery store- anyone know the one I’m talking about ;)?
She bought one every week and it was always on our counter in my great grandmother’s beautiful cake plate covered with a glass cloche- which still sits on her kitchen counter today.
My friends always knew it would be there and it was the perfect after school treat. During that time my mom worked long days and didn’t have time to bake as well as cook dinner for us every evening.
The store bought cake was more than appreciated! When my mom did have time, she made this light, airy, pure lemony sweet loaf. It tastes 100% more fresh and made with real lemon, unlike the store bought version. I could eat a slice of this cake with a cup of afternoon tea Every. Single. Day!
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More Lemon Dessert Recipes
If you love lemon desserts, try these recipes.
Lemon Loaf Cake
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
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the most tender, moist crumb.
- Rub lemon zest into the sugar to release the oils and boost lemon flavor.
- Sift dry ingredients directly over the wet ingredients to keep the batter light.
- Mix just until combined—overmixing will make the loaf dense.
- Toss blueberries in a little flour so they don’t sink or bleed.
- Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Let cool before glazing and slicing for clean, even slices.
- Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze the cooled loaf or slices, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
- This loaf tastes even better the next day and is perfect to make ahead.
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 donโt want to make the same mistake on my next try thank you Maria
Hi Maria,
Iโm so happy to hear you loved the cake, and that your husband enjoyed it too ๐ค
If the center collapsed, itโs 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 10โ15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack so the structure can set.
Iโm so glad youโre making it again, and I know your next one will be perfect. Thank you so much for baking along with me! ๐