The Best Lemon Loaf (Better-Than-Starbucks Copycat) — It took years but I finally recreated it!! Easy no mixer no cake mix dangerously good and SPOT ON!! You’re going to love this lemon bread recipe!
This lemon loaf cake recipe has been beyond a long time in the making. I’ve been trying to make this copycat Starbucks lemon loaf on and off for years. I can’t even tell you how much I have obsessed tried trialed and failed at it. Until now.
If you’ve ever had Starbucks’ Lemon Loaf you know how good it is. Full of lemon flavor moist dense and rich. Anything that good I shouldn’t want to learn how to make at home but I couldn’t leave well enough alone.
I’ve tried countless internet recipes for lemon pound cake and some were ‘fine’ but not quite perfect while others were total fails. And I definitely didn’t want to go the cake mix route.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Loaf
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt (lite okay)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract to taste (not teaspoons)*
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice or as necessary for consistency
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
Make the Loaf:
To a large bowl add the eggs sugar sour cream and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined.
Drizzle in the oil while whisking to combine.
Add the lemon zest lemon extract and whisk to combine. Note – I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor but add to taste.
Add the flour baking powder salt and stir until just combined don’t overmix. Some lumps will be present and that’s okay don’t try to stir them smooth