This lemon loaf tastes like spring in every bite! It’s bursting with lemon flavor and is the perfect dessert for any occasion.
Easy, Lemony, and Perfect for Any Occasion
This lemon loaf is simple to make and packed with lemony goodness. It’s tender and moist, breaking apart softly without crumbling. The extra lemony flavor comes from a lemon soak after baking. To top it off, a delicious glaze adds a touch of sweetness to each bite. This lemon loaf is dangerously good!
Tips for the Best Lemon Loaf
Lemon Zest and Juice: Use fresh lemon zest and juice for maximum flavor. Fresh zest adds aromatic citrus notes, while fresh juice provides tangy acidity that balances the sweetness.
Infusing the Milk: For even more lemon flavor, steep the milk with lemon zest. This is optional, but it enhances the lemony taste throughout the cake.
Glaze and Syrup: Both are needed. The syrup gives a strong lemon flavor, and the glaze adds a classic sweet topping. They take just about 30 seconds to mix together and are worth the effort!
Cooling Before Glazing: Let the loaf cool for about 15 minutes in the pan, then completely on a wire rack before glazing. This helps the flavors meld and the loaf to set properly.
Grease the Loaf Pan Generously: To prevent sticking, generously grease the pan with butter or cooking spray. You can also line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
- **Loaf:**
- – 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- – ½ teaspoon baking powder
- – 1 teaspoon salt
- – 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- – 1 egg
- – ⅔ cup milk
- – 1 stick ½ cup butter
- – 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- – 2 teaspoons lemon juice
**Syrup:**
- – ¼ cup lemon juice
- – 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
**Glaze:**
- – 1 cup powdered sugar
- – 1 tablespoon milk
- – 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
**Loaf:**
- **Optional Step:** Combine half the lemon zest with milk. Heat on medium until warmed, then cover and let cool for 20 minutes. Place in the fridge until ready to use and strain before using.
- In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest, beating for 1 more minute.
- Add the milk and stir to combine.
- Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5-inch loaf pan.
- Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and remove from the pan.
**Soak:**
- While the loaf is cooling, mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar.
- After removing the loaf from the pan, generously dab the mixture over all sides of the loaf with a brush. Let it cool completely.
**Glaze:**
- Once the loaf is cooled, mix milk, lemon juice, and powdered sugar until a creamy glaze forms. Pour over the loaf and let it set before serving.