Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

If you've ever stood in line at a popular coffee shop, debating to yourself if you should grab a slice of that lemon loaf, turn around and head home, because this recipe is even better than the store-bought version.

This iced lemon loaf cake is ridiculously moist, springy, and bursting with citrus flavor from a ton of lemon zest. No joke, this is bakery-worthy without the coffee shop price tag.

I used to be obsessed with buying loaf cakes out at the coffee shops, but when I realized just how much extra junk is added into the recipes, I immediately stopped.

I can't continue to justify spending money on cake that I could simply make at home. That's why I always suggest making recipes from those you trust and love, because you know what goes into it, and you then don't have to spend money everyday.

Trusted Tips and Key Reminders

1. Do NOT Over Mix - Over mixing this batter (really, any batter) will cause the baked results to be overworked, chewy, gummy, and not very airy. Switch to using a spatula when it comes time to fold in the flour and the other dry ingredients. It will help!
2. Use a Scale - In my years of learning from trials and recipe development, I've come to lean heavily on my kitchen scale. I love my Zwilling scale, but you can always buy another kind. When it comes to baking, having precise measurements helps the texture, taste, structure, and mouthfeel stay consistent every time you bake.
3. Marry the Zest and Sugar - Take your fingertips and rub (yes, rub) the lemon zest with the sugar. This helps to bring out all those luscious lemony oils from the zest and gives the entire loaf a robust lemon flavor. Plus, it smells really really good.
4. Roll your Lemons - Rolling the lemons a little before slicing and then juicing will actually help to produce more fresh lemon juice when squeezed. Trust me, this works every time.

The Main Ingredients

1. All-purpose flour - Using all purpose flour is classic in baking. It gives structure but keeps the loaf soft.
2. Baking powder - The baking powder gives just enough lift for a light and airy crumb texture.
3. Greek yogurt or sour cream - Using greek yogurt (or sour cream, just depends on preference) helps to retain some moisture and adds a little tang, which pairs well with lemon.
4. Neutral oil - I typically like using avocado oil, but you can use olive oil too. Oil keeps the loaf moist longer than butter would.
5. Fresh lemon juice + zest - For that bright, natural citrus flavor. I do not recommend using store-bought lemon juice or lemon extract.
6. Eggs - I've played around with using one egg, one egg and one yolk, two eggs, but I really do find that three eggs gives just enough texture for this loaf. Plus, it aids in giving that gorgeous yellow hue.
7. Powdered sugar + lemon juice (for the glaze) - A classic combo that sets beautifully on top.

Simple Swaps and Subs:

• Use gluten free 1:1 flour instead of all purpose flour.
• Swap out the regular milk and greek yogurt for your favorite dairy-free or plant-based milk and yogurt. I highly recommend Siggi's plant based yogurt as it's very thick.
• You could always throw in poppy seeds to make a lemon poppy seed loaf.
• If you want to try out using orange, you can make this into an orange loaf by simply omitting the lemon for orange zest and fresh orange juice.