This perfectly moist and rich lemon loaf cake is loaded with intense lemon flavor and topped with a sweet lemon glaze. This copycat Starbucks lemon loaf recipe is the TRUE definition of sweet and tart and it's absolutely delicious!
If you love this recipe then you'll love my Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe!
If you're a fan of Starbucks' famous lemon loaf, you know how addictively delicious it can be and I'm right there with you. But did you know that you can make a copycat version at home that tastes just as good? With a few simple ingredients you can create a Starbucks lemon loaf recipe that's just as moist, sweet, and tangy as the original!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Simple recipe: Easy-to-follow recipe and instructions!
- Loved by all: This homemade chicken pot pie recipe is one of the most comforting meals! It's my go-to meal to bring to family members when they have babies or are sick. I always receive RAVE reviews and requests for the recipe!
Ingredient Notes for Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemons for best results for both bread and glaze.
- Buttermilk: Make your own by adding ½ tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to the ½ cup needed for this recipe. Stir well and allow to thicken for 5-10 minutes. You will typically need 1 tbs vinegar per 1 cup of milk. 🙂
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
- Blueberry Lemon Loaf: Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter for a burst of fruity flavor that pairs perfectly with the lemon. If you love lemon + blueberry together, then you'll love my Easy Lemon Blueberry Scones!
- Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf: Fold 2-3 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter for a crunchy texture that complements the lemony sweetness.
This recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations. If you change any ingredients, I'd love to hear how it turned out in the comments below!
How to make lemon loaf cake
Step 1: Gently whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Beat in eggs, lemon juice and zest. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk and mix well after each addition.
Step 4: Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake.
Step 5: Allow bread to cool for in pan before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
For the Lemon Glaze
- Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
- While lemon loaf is on the wire rack, poke holes into the top of warm bread with a toothpick or other small object. Drizzle on half of the glaze and spread it around into the holes. Allow this layer to set for a minute or so before adding another layer.
Jessica's Recipe Tips
- Be sure not to over-bake your crescent cinnamon rolls! That is the one cardinal rule for making these. You want them to be gooey and soft in the center.
Recipe FAQs
Starbucks lemon loaf will stay fresh for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container.
While I have not tested this out myself, I have had readers tell me that they have had great success using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour! 🙂
Wrap loaf without icing tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Place in a resealable, freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter. Prepare glaze and drizzle on top before serving.
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📋 Recipe
Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tbs lemon zest
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- ½ cup buttermilk*
Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2-4 tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, gently whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and zest until combined. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk and mix well after each addition. Be sure to not over-mix.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes in 9x5" pan. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Don't be alarmed at how the outside of this ;e
- Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes in pan before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
For the lemon glaze
- Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. While lemon loaf is on the wire rack, poke holes into the top of warm bread with a toothpick or other small object. Drizzle half of the glaze on top of the bread and spread it around into the holes. Allow this layer to set for a minute or so before adding another layer on top.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Laurie Franklin says
This recipe requires at least 40 minutes to bake. Mine took 45 minutes. This is more of a Lemon drizzle than a lemon loaf. It requires the glaze to penetrate the loaf in order to get the sweet lemon taste. Even though it tasted very lemony, I couldn’t serve it due to the metallic taste from the baking powder. Two teaspoons is way too much. It needs to be balanced with some baking soda.
Connie says
I made this gluten and dairy free (used coconut milk). It was excellent. I had to bake it longer; 53 minutes. Very moist and great taste.
Tricia M says
I have a love-hate relationship with lemon foods. I recently scheduled a cabinet painting service for my kitchen. I thought it would be nice to make a treat for the painters before they get started. It was funny to see half of the crew love the lemon loaf, while half of them didn't care for it. I guess many of us have a love-hate relationship with lemon.
Shari says
I made this for a neighbor at Christmas. She asked for the recipe today. it was moist, lemony and delicious. I made my own buttermilk by adding 1 TBS of lemon juice to regular milk. I made the glaze just a little thicker but other than that I followed the recipe. It's the best!
Jean says
best lemon cake ever!
Nini2008 says
What can I use instead of lemon zest. I am not a fan of shaved lemon rind in my food.
Jessica says
You can just leave it out of the recipe completely! 🙂
Carol says
I made this today and it's delicious. Much better than the recipe I used all my life. much more moist, so good.
Debbie T. says
I made this today in a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Tested at 35 minutes and seemed done, but when I turned it out after 10 mins. cooling it was raw in the middle. 🙁 I scooped it back into the loaf pan and baked it 12 more minutes. DEFINITELY needs more than 35 minutes. Also, the glaze was WAY too thin, so I added 1/4 cup more confectioners sugar for the first glaze, and ⅛ cup more for the remaining glaze. Think I will tweak the recipe to ensure doneness and thicker glaze next time.
Jessica says
Oh darn, that stinks! As a rule of thumb, always use a recipe's bake time more as a guide and make sure to test for doneness before taking out of the oven. Everyone's oven is different and yours might have just needed a little more time, unfortunately! I hope it worked out for you in the end, though!
Marta J says
I have learned to use a thermometer to test for doneness. Baking cakes and bread to 195 degrees F in the very middle is the temperature works for me... Hope this helps!