Moist Zesty Lemon Loaf (Printable Version)
A moist, zesty loaf bursting with fresh lemon flavor, ideal for tea or a light dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Lemon Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in fresh lemon juice; batter may appear slightly curdled, which is normal.
06 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in milk and briefly mix. Add remaining dry ingredients and fold in gently without overmixing.
07 - Transfer batter into prepared pan and level the surface.
08 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow loaf to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more juice if needed for desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The glaze melts into the warm cake and pools in all the right places, creating pockets of tangy sweetness.
- It comes together without a stand mixer, and even the overmixing worry disappears once you understand the why behind it.
- Tastes even better the next day when the flavors settle and the texture becomes impossibly moist.
02 -
- Room-temperature ingredients mix smoothly and create better emulsions; I learned this the hard way after my first attempt with cold eggs looked separated and curdled in the bowl.
- The lemon juice in the batter does curdle the mixture temporarily, but the flour brings it back together—it's not a mistake, it's chemistry.
- Don't skip the cooling step in the pan; I rushed it once and the warm cake fell apart when I tried to turn it out.
03 -
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off, not by scooping directly from the bag; this prevents packing too much flour into the cake.
- If you can't find fresh lemons, preserved lemon paste works in a pinch, though use less since it's more concentrated and salty.