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!
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Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
This iced 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 bread 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.
I even sent one almost-a-possibility-but-not-quite to my mom to have her trial it.
Something as ‘simple’ as a lemon loaf cake eluded me for ages until I rediscovered and slightly adapted my own 2012 recipe for Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Lemon Vanilla Glaze. It’s an easy, no-mixer, one-bowl, whisk-together batter.
This lemon loaf cake is soft, springy, and moist without being heavy or dry, problems which often plague pound cake. Nor is it oily, which sometimes happens with the Starbucks’ version. Plus, you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make it and you can pronounce every ingredient used.
The lemon loaf cake itself is perfectly lemony, and the lemon glaze boosts the lemon flavor even more. Lemon lovers will be in their glory!
And just think of all that money you’ll save by making it at home. That’s almost dangerous.
Ingredients in Lemon Loaf
To make this copycat Starbucks lemon loaf recipe, you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream
- Canola oil
- Lemon zest
- Lemon extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
And to make the lemon bread glaze, you’ll need:
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Lemon juice
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Lemon Loaf
This Starbucks recipe for lemon loaf couldn’t be easier to make! Here’s a look at how this recipe comes together:
- First, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and sour cream before drizzling in the oil.
- Stir in the lemon zest and extract, followed by the dry ingredients.
- Turn the lemon loaf batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake until the top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter.
- The copycat Starbucks lemon loaf needs to cool for at least 30 minutes before drizzling with the glaze!
Lemon Loaf FAQs
Yes, this lemon bread freezes incredibly well. It can be frozen up to 6 months.
Just be sure to glaze the bread AFTER it’s been frozen and thawed (the glaze can be frozen, but the texture changes slightly).
Of course, just note that your bake time will vary depending on the size of your pans.
One reader reported success making seven mini loaves and baking them at 350ºF for about 35 minutes, if that helps. However, I can’t speak from personal experience.
Most likely, yes. You’d need to bake two 9×5-inch loaves.
A few readers have also asked if they can double the recipe and bake the batter in a 9×13-inch pan or a metal bundt pan. Both options would likely work, although I can’t say for sure.
I don’t recommend doing so, as that would change the taste of the lemon bread too much. If you want a lemon olive oil dessert, make my Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe instead.
I’ve had quite a few readers ask about using gluten-free flour in this copycat Starbucks lemon pound cake recipe. I’ve only made the recipe as written, but readers have reported success using either Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour or Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.
I can’t say for sure if using a gluten-free flour will work, but this is what readers have recommended!
No! Do NOT use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably because they’re not — oil is much more potent and intense.
No, do NOT use lemon juice in place of lemon extract because it’s not strong enough and the acidity can alter the overall results.
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 you can add it to taste.
What Readers Are Saying
As you can see on the recipe card, this copycat Starbucks recipe for lemon loaf has over 1,500 reviews on it. And if you scroll to the very bottom of this post, you’ll see the 1,000+ comments that readers have left.
To say that this lemon bread recipe has been tried and tested — and loved! — is an understatement!
Here are just a few 5-star reviews that have been left on this lemon loaf cake recipe:
“Delightful! This loaf did not last long in my household – lemony and delicious and a recipe I always come back to.” — Stephanie
“I have been making this recipe for a few years! Always gets the best reviews! I poke holes in it so when I add the glaze it goes into the loaf! This is my go to recipe when I am asked to bring a dessert!” — Joan Kasaris
“Simple, yet delicious! Baked mine for 40 minutes. It’s a dense, flavourful cake and will be my go-to lemon loaf recipe from now on since I have too been looking for the perfect lemon loaf for a long time. Thanks for finding it for me!!!” — Vivi
“Hard to believe a recipe so quick and easy tastes so good. Passed some out to friends and they were amazed at texture and flavor. I followed the reciperight to the end.” — Roger Drenga
“This recipe is incredibly delicious, and this was also my very first time baking a lemon loaf. I’m so happy how it turned out, and everyone in our house loved it. Thank you!” — Danielle
Recipe Video
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The Best Lemon Loaf (Better-Than-Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract, to taste (not teaspoons)*
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ 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.
- Turn the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 50 to 52 minutes, or until top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter. In the last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over pan) to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.
- Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (I cooled 4 hours) before turning out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.
Make the Lemon Glaze:
- To a small bowl, add the confectioner’s sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts a bit as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.
- Evenly drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving.
- Extra glaze can be spread on the cut surface of the bread like you’d spread butter on toast and it soaks right in making the bread even moister and more lemony. Or you can halve the glaze recipe if you’re not a glaze person.
Video
Notes
- *Don’t use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably because they’re not; oil is much more potent and intense. Don’t use lemon juice in place of lemon extract because it’s not strong enough and the acidity can alter the overall results.
- Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months; I don’t recommend storing it in the fridge because it’ll dry out.
- Recipe adapted from my Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Lemon Vanilla Glaze.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Lemon Desserts:
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Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting – Soft, fluffy, moist, very lemony cupcakes from scratch! Easy one-bowl, no-mixer recipe for cupcakes that taste like they’re from a bakery!
The Best Lemon Bars – Truly the best lemon bars I’ve ever had!
Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze – Almost more berries than cake in this soft, fluffy cake!
Soft and Chewy Lemon Cookies — Packed with big, bold lemon flavor for all you lemon lovers! They’re soft, chewy and not at all cakey!
Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Glaze — An easy buttermilk cake with big lemon flavor!! Soft, fluffy, and foolproof if you like puckering up!!
Softbatch Glazed Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies — Big, bold lemon flavor packed into super soft cookies thanks to the cream cheese!! Tangy-sweet perfection! Lemon lovers are going to adore these easy cookies!!
Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze — They taste like the Starbucks lemon loaf, but in donut (or mini muffin) form!! Easy, no mixer recipe with a tart-yet-sweet lemon glaze that’s PERFECT! Lemon lovers will adore them!!
I can’t wait to try!! Thanks for all the trial and error work and for sharing!
You’re welcome and enjoy!
I got compliments everytime i made this. It is true that tasted way better than Starbucks!
Thanks for letting me know it’s a hit and that you agree it tastes better than Starbucks!
I actually made this. It is amazing! Don’t change a thing. It is lemony, not too sweet, light not dense and Amazing!!!! The only thing that could be better or just as good is to make this the into a strawberry shortcake. Add berries and whipcream. Did I say this is amazing!!!!!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out amazing for you with zero changes!
This is the BEST lemon loaf recipe! So tangy and not too sweet. I like to bake for 18-23 minutes into 12 muffins with muffin cups sprayed with canola oil. Such a wonderful treat. Thank you Averie for your recipes and personal guidance.
Thanks for the lovely compliments! I am so glad you love this recipe as much as I do! The muffins sound great!
I want to try this! Would you recommend using almond oil, which I generally sub for vegetable/olive oils in stovetop cooking, or do you think that would ruin the final loaf?
Thanks,
Noelle
I’ve never used almond oil and it sounds like it wouldn’t be a great choice if you use it for stovetop cooking (I wouldn’t sub olive oil for example into a baking recipe either). I would follow the recipe as written for optimal results.
I want to make this. Did you use store bought lemon zest or did you zest fresh lemon?
Didn’t know store bought zest was even a thing. You want the zest from a fresh, ripe lemon. Do it yourself, not store bought.
Hi. Dying to try this but I can’t find lemon extract in Singapore! Anything else that comes close as an alternative? Thanks!
I don’t know of anything else that mimics lemon extract that would work well here. Amazon it!
I take it lemon Essence won’t do either?
I have only made the recipe successfully as written; experiment if you wish of course.
This. Is. Amazing. My friends at work now demand it quite regularly. It’s easy and comes out perfectly. It’s my favourite thing to bake!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you love it!
OOPS!! I meant what brand of lemon extract do you use?
What brand of vegetable/canola oil do you use and what brand of vanilla extract do you use? I see you used a Pyrex loaf pan…what do you use to grease it? I usually have a difficult time getting my cakes and breads out of the Pyrex pans even after I grease them generously.
I have made this is both Pyrex and metal. For video, Pyrex looks better. For everyday baking without photography, I use metal. Brand of lemon extract….just the generic store brand from Ralph’s/Kroger.
This recipe yielded *ridiculously* moist, 10/10 perfect loaf-cake. It was dense without being too heavy, good crumble, not “greasy”, the perfect rise… Tip to readers: I make the icing a little more in advance (while loaf is still in the oven, then it will cool) so the powdered sugar has time to dissolve the best and meld the lemon juice nicely.
The loaf was so perfect I think I’d like to use it as a base for lemon-blueberry muffins with sanding (or sparkling) sugar topping! (no icing) I think I’ll use a tiny bit less lemon extract for that (so the blueberries don’t have to compete too much for flavor), and just a smidge more granulated sugar. Awesome!
*ridiculously* moist, 10/10 perfect loaf-cake. It was dense without being too heavy, good crumble, not “greasy”, the perfect rise <--- YES I agree 100% and that's why it took me forever to get this loaf just-so. I love that you love it as much as I do! I've made it into donuts https://www.averiecooks.com/2016/07/baked-lemon-donuts-lemon-glaze.html and I think it would be great as BB muffins, less extract too for reason you mentioned.
I made the lemon-blueberry this morning! Just a little less extract and zest, fresh blueberries, topped with sanding sugar. It made 6 “jumbo” muffins. Thank you for such a flawless, consistently awesome recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you as 6 jumbo muffins!
Hi Averie, I’m wanting to make this the day before I’m planning to serve it. How should I store it so it doesn’t dry out? On the counter or can I frigerate it since I’ve refrigerated a lemon loaf cake in the past? Also, what type of wrapping would you suggest so the glaze doesn’t stick? Thank you for your advise. I can’t wait to try it!
Don’t glaze the cake until right before you plan to serve it. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plasticwrap, put the cake inside a large ziptop bag, and store on the counter. I NEVER EVER store cakes in the fridge, with the exception being a decadent chocolate cake or brownies, but cakes in general dry out much faster in the fridge and I am not a fan.
Your lemon loaf was so easy to make and it was a big hit for the family.
Thanks for the recipe. It will be used often in my home in Ontario, Canada.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Hi Averie, I wanted to make this loaf tomorrow to take with me to a friends house, but I don’t have any lemon extract. I know you mentioned not to use lemon juice because the acidity can alter the results.. but is there any other way to get a lemon taste without the extract? Maybe increase the amount of lemon zest?
In this case I strongly recommend following the recipe exactly based on all the issues I had and what you mention in the comment re acidity/results is correct so no you cannot use lemon juice. I would go to the store and buy some lemon extract.
Half of this was delicious. The other half is in the bottom of my oven…
Not sure why some overflowed…have had hundreds of comments on this recipe but you are the first to mention this. Maybe your pan was an 8×4 rather than a 9×5 or you added a bit too much baking powder? Glad what you did get to taste was delicious!
I made this cake which turned out beautifully. However, the taste was bitter–way to much lemon extract. I will try the cake again with a teaspoon of lemon extract and lemon juice. The texture was good, but will throw this loaf out!
All extracts vary in intensity and most people have good luck with the recipe as written but sounds like your extract is very potent so good idea to scale it way back next time. I don’t recommend using actual lemon juice – I tried that in recreating this cake and it didn’t work for me – cake texture was off from the acid, but you may have different luck.