Description
This lemon loaf cake with a tangy lemon glaze is a simple, delicious, and beginner-friendly dessert. Perfect for any occasion, this recipe is sure to impress!
Ingredients
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Alternatively, line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir them together so they’re evenly distributed.
- In another bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes using a hand mixer or stand mixer. The butter and sugar mixture should appear pale in color and airy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. You should be able to smell the fresh lemon as soon as you add it to the batter!
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—be careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so be sure to start checking around 45 minutes to avoid over-baking.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar; for a thinner glaze, add more lemon juice.
- Once the cake has cooled for about 10 minutes, remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the warm cake and allow it to set. The glaze will harden slightly as it cools, giving your lemon loaf a nice shine.
Notes
- If your cake is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking. This prevents the top from burning while the rest of the cake finishes baking.
- To check if the cake is done, insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done.
- If you don’t have a hand mixer, you can easily use a whisk and some elbow grease to mix the butter and sugar together. The key is to incorporate air to make the cake light.
- If you’re short on time, make the lemon glaze while the cake is cooling to save a few extra minutes.
- For extra moisture, you can add a tablespoon of sour cream or yogurt to the batter. It won’t change the flavor but will make the cake even more tender.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg