Lemon is such an amazing flavour to work with, especially in sweet recipes like this lemon loaf. I like to enjoy a slice for breakfast, or dessert or even with a coffee or a tea for a snack at any time of the day. This lemon bread is quick loaf which means that it’s super easy to make, you pretty much just mix the wet ingredients into the mixture of the dry ingredients before baking. The lemon flavour in this cake is intense, coming from three different sources! There is lemon zest and lemon extract in the loaf and once it’s baked it’s soaked in a lemon syrup only to be topped with a lemon icing! Once the loaf has baked, holes are poked into the top and a simple homemade lemon syrup is poured over and allowed to soak in to help keep the loaf nice and moist and tender, in addition to adding more lemon flavour. The final piece to this lemon loaf is the lemon icing or glaze which is a simple mixture of confectioners/powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. You could skip either the lemon syrup and/or the lemon icing and this bread would be amazing, but why would you want to? No matter how you make this lemon loaf, it’s sure to please!
What is a quick bread? A quick bread is a bread that does not use yeast as a leavening agent, in this case baking soda and baking powder, and they are quick and easy to make.
This bread has a lemon simple syrup poured over it to soak in and this helps keep the bread nice and moist and tender, in addition to adding even more lemon flavour!
The lemon loaf is topped with a lemon icing/frosting/glaze for even more lemon flavour!
It’s so good slathered with melting butter!
Lemon Loaf
A super moist and tender lemon loaf soaked with lemon syrup and covered with lemon icing.
ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (~2 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup confectioners sugar (aka icing sugar, aka powdered sugar)
- 2 tablespoons freshly lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the lemon loaf:
For the lemon syrup:
For the lemon icing:
directions
- Mix the sugar, sour cream, eggs, lemon zest, lemon extract, vanilla extract and oil before mixing in the mixture of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown on top and a toothpick pushed into the centre comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
- Poke some holes into the top of the loaf with a fork (toothpick or thin knife) and slowly pour the lemon syrup over the loaf and let it soak in.
- Remove the loaf from the pan and pour (or drizzle or spread) the lemon icing over the loaf and let it cool before slicing and enjoying!
- Simmer the sugar and lemon juice in a small sauce pan until the sugar has dissolved into the lemon juice.
- Mix the confectioners sugar into the lemon juice and zest until smooth.
For the lemon loaf:
For the lemon syrup:
For the lemon icing:
Option: Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
Option: Add 1 cup blueberries, or raspberries, black berries, diced strawberries!
Option: Add 1 cup white chocolate chips and/or replace the icing/glaze with a white chocolate ganache!
Option: Use a circular cake pan instead of a loaf pan.
Option: Use a muffin pan for lemon muffins! The bake time will be about 20 minutes!
Option: Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds!
Option: Add 1 teaspoon almond extract.
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What a great looking lemon loaf! Just like Starbucks!
Amazing recipe! I’ll be trying it out tonight!
Also… There’s an awkward spelling error in the instructions for the icing…
“For the lemon icing:
Mix the confectioners sugar into the lemon juice and sext until smooth.”
Sexting the icing could lead to a terrible mess… >.>
Sounds awesome! Will be making this!!! Thank you for all the great recipes!
This was a simple and delicious recipe. I had lemons that needed to be used so made the loaf and the icing. Great recipe.
Hi. I just bake this loaf. Looking wonderful. But how long does it take to absorb all the lemon syrup? My loaf is still soaking. May I have your advice please? Thank you so much ☺️
It should soak in bu the time the loaf has cooled, 30+ minutes, but you can certainly cut into it earlier! 🙂
For muffins… how many does thus recipe make? How to let syrup sink in?
This will make 12 muffins and you can let the syrup soak in by pouring it over, or in the case of muffins, it might be easier to brush the syrup over the tops of the muffins a few times. Or you could serve the syrup on the side. I like to slice the muffins in half, slather on some butter, and pour some syrup on before devouring!
Just wanted to let you know, this is one of my go to recipes and I have gotten a lot of compliments from it over the years!
Divine. I love lemon cake or bread. Lovely recipe.
I know it’s a bit late but happy new year.
regards, Judy.
Can I use yogurt instead of the sour cream?
Thanks in advance-
Yes you can!
This was so easy and SO delicious!!! Followed the recipe exactly. Thank you Kevin, it’s a lovely bread recipe!!