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:
Lemon Lemonies – Like brownies, but made with lemon and white chocolate! Dense, chewy, not cakey and packed with big, bold lemon flavor!
Lightened Up Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake — No BUTTER in this healthier cake with big juicy blueberries and refreshing lemon! It’s a keeper!
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!!
Hi Averie! I just discovered your “Best Lemon Loaf – Better than Starbucks” recipe and I’m dying to make it! Your recipe requires sour cream or Greek yogurt! I saw pretty much every Greek yogurt at the market and don’t know which brand to get or which flavor! I don’t want anything to change or alter the lemony taste and yumminess!
I usually buy the 0% Fat version of Fage Greek yogurt at Trader Joe’s. Honestly you can go with whatever is easiest though. As long as it’s plain Greek yog or sour cream, you are fine.
I love this lemon pound cake recipe but every time I make it, the cake sinks in the middle.
What can I do differently to fix it?
I would say bake it an extra few minutes – that can help. Also use King Arthur All-Purpose flour. It is SO much better than other flours for this purpose!
This recipe looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it!
I’m assuming that, if I wanted to cook it in a bundt cake pan, I would need to double the recipe? Or would it just not work to make a bundt cake?
Thank you for always sharing such awesome recipes!
Tough call. I would say as-is, it will bake fine as a Bundt in a normal 12-cup Bundt pan, albeit a little on the short side. However I feel like doubling the recipe could almost be too much batter but it’s hard to say. I would say make as written first and if it’s just way too short for you, double it next time, or maybe try to 1.5x the recipe rather than 2x it. I realize that gets into egg confusion, etc.
Hi! Did you try baking in the bundt cake pan? I am wanting to attempt the same idea… but am curious how it turned out?! My son has requested a lemon pound cake with blueberries for his birthday ;) haha! I think this recipe sounds delicious (and should be okay to toss blueberries in!). Thank you :)
I think you will be fine in a Bundt, it could be a bit ‘short’ and not as tall as a regular Bundt but it will definitely ‘work’ fine; just cosmetically a little short. You could 1.5x the recipe. I think a straight double could almost be too much batter.
I doubled the recipe for a stanadard Bundt pan, and it turned out great! The only thing I didn’t truly double was the extract—I just added a little extra based on taste. It was delicious!
Great info and thanks for sharing! This Bundt pan question comes up a lot and so it’s nice to hear from someone who tried it! Glad it came out delicious!
I have been looking for strawberry bread, made with strawberry extract, and it is near impossible to find anyone who has done this. I have made this lemon bread many times,and it is absolutely delicious! I wonder if switching lemon extract for strawberry extract would work? Wish me luck, i will let readers know how it turns out!!!
Good luck and hope it works out great!
I loved this recipe! I had a few little modifications of my own on my second try, I added blueberries (rinsed and coated with a little flour) and also didn’t have lemon extract for the batter… so instead, once the cake cooled, I drizzled fresh squeezed lemon juice on the loaf before I added the icing!
The blueberries sound wonderful as does the freshly squeezed lemon juice!
I love lemon poppy seed anything. Do you think adding poppy seeds would be OK? How much would you suggest?
Other readers have added poppy seeds with success. Since I haven’t done it I can’t say. Maybe 2 to 3 tablespoons…start slowly and see how it’s looking after you add them to the batter.
Can I double the recipe or use 2 smaller pans?
I would double the recipe and use two 9×5 pans.
I want to freeze this and send to family in another state what do you think?
I would not freeze it, I would just wrap it very well in cling wrap, put it in a Ziplock bag, package properly, and send.
Hi Averie,
Thanks for the recipe! Want to try it for my birthday. I’m wondering if you use lemon extract(powder) or the fluid. Have to order online because I don’t know where to get it ;-)
Liquid – never realized there was a powder. And I get it in the baking aisle of my grocery store near the vanilla extract and other extracts. Happy Birthday!
Want to make several of these for holiday giving. Plan to poke holes in the breads , drizzle glaze over and freeze. I have frozen glazed muffins in the past with good results. Thanks.
Sounds delish! Hope everyone enjoys it!
Want to make several of these for holiday giving. Why can’t I glaze and freeze? Planned to poke holes in the breads and drizzle glaze over. I have glazed and frozen muffins in the past with good results. Thanks.
You can do whatever you think will work out best. I just like the taste of freshly applied glaze rather than after it’s been frozen.
Hi Averie! Would you do anything different when baking at high altitude? Thanks
I don’t live there so I can’t make any recommendations. Sorry I can’t help.
Hi Averie,,
I just want to make sure I’m understanding the cooking time correctly. Is it 50-52 minutes “total” or 50-52 plus the extra ten minutes with the foil tent?
Thanks!
Anne
Baking times vary widely. Keep an eye on it. It could be done in 45 minutes fully, could take 65 minutes. Climates, ovens, pans, etc. Don’t get hung up on a number. Watch it and bake until done.
That said, for me 50-52 mins is the right amount and sometimes at the 40-ish minute marker, I put a foil tent on. Just depends on the day.
Not sure what went wrong but this cake fell once removed from oven and wound up being dense. The flavor was still good, but the texture wasn’t cake like or even bread like. :(
Not sure what went wrong either – sounds like your leavening agents were not doing their job. Maybe they weren’t at the peak of freshness? Oven running too hot/too cold can cause things to look done and then fall upon cooling; mismeasuring flour is another one that can do it. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Send me the recipe please to dianecampbell410@yahoo.com
The recipe is in the blog post.
Hi. I was wondering if you could substitute this with orange extract and zest instead of lemon???
And I’ve made this lemon cake and all my family loves it! And preferred it over other kinds! Thanks for the recipe!
Glad this is a favorite for you and your kids! I haven’t personally done it with orange extract/zest but I know there have been people who’ve commented saying they’ve done that and it’s worked out well for them.
Our neighbor old lady she makes the best lemon cake ever ! And every time i asked her to teach me how to make it , she sends me a cake without telling me how to make , now , after i make your lemon cake , i want to send her my cake , and am sure she will ask me how to make it , and if she asks , i will send her my cake again !!!!!!!! Thanks
That’s such a great story and I hope you both love the cake :)