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!!
Made this yesterday. It was wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Just took your Lemon Loaf(Better Than Starbuck’s Copycat) from the oven. It smells wonderful. I will have to freeze it because I am taking it to my son’s team at the Apple Store in Charlotte,NC. Also have your best Choc. Chip Chunk cookies in the freezer ready to cook before we go. I have made the cookies twice. My husband loves them. I would love to cut the lemon loaf while it is warm. HAHAHA!!! I LOVE lemon.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it smells wonderful and it freezes just fine. Your son will love it! I know it smells so good…hard to wait to cut it :)
And so glad you love the Choc Chip Chunk Cookies, too!
I’ve made this lemon loaf three times now for my mother who loves all things lemon. She and everyone else in my family are in love with this cake. I usually bake at night and they will stay up to have a warm slice. They literally applaud when I take the cake out of the oven! It is so velvety smooth and lemony. I actually stopped ordering it at Starbucks because theirs just doesn’t taste as good to me as this version! Thank you so much for perfecting and sharing this recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe 3 times now and love that you’ve stopped ordering it at Starbucks now because you prefer my recipe. That’s wonderful to hear!
I made this recipe as muffins. Turned out amazing. Thank you.
I skipped the glaze to reduce calories.
Glad it turned out great as muffins for you!
Your pictures look delicious but I’m afraid I butchered this recipe ! My loaf turned out very spongy, almost a gummy texture. I believe I must have over mixed it. Crazy what a difference that can make
Over-beating dough, i.e. over-developing the gluten, especially in cakes, muffins, and breads can create a very gummy texture in the final product, or tough/chewy. I think that was the culprit in your case.
Same thing happened to me! The taste was there and it was delish but the texture wasn’t good at all, it was spongy. I will try it again maybe tomorrow and see what happens.
Cake is very easy to make. Taste ok. Gave to my son who loves Starbucks and he told me that he prefer Starbucks over this recipe. But he loves my cake much better than this and Starbucks. So I guess I will stick with my recipe
This cake was SO easy to make and so delicious! Will definitely make it again!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I’m a big lemon fan and while I haven’t tried this in Starbucks (the calorie counts on everything scare me off)..I made this twice this weekend …… and it was amazing! Even though I messed up the glaze on the second cake, it was still delicious.
Thanks for trying the recipe twice and I’m glad it was a hit!
This looks amazing! I cannot wait for try this recipe out. We don’t have many Starbucks here in Melbourne but I am always on the look out for a lemony loaf that will go really well with my afternoon blog surfing sessions. Love your blog layout too :) x
Hi! First off I love your recipes! I was wondering if you could make this in a bundt pan and how long you would bake it for. Thanks so much!
I haven’t tried it that way so not able to answer for sure.
I was thinking about making this this weekend but noticed that for some reason my loaf pan is 9.25in by 5.25 in. That little bit of a difference shouldn’t matter too much, right? I have no idea why I would randomly have one that size or where it even came from but thought I’d ask just to be sure!
Pans vary so much, don’t they! But in this recipe I don’t think the small amount yours is larger will make much difference. Enjoy!
I just baked this in 8 mini loaf tins for 20 minutes. They came out perfectly moist and airy. Best of all, they looked absolutely adorable! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you in mini loaves! Bet they were totalllllly adorable!
I ended up using a glass pan when I realized my metal pan was too big. It still came out great! Everyone really enjoyed it. Although, to be honest, it wasn’t as to-die-for as Starbucks. Maybe they put drugs in theirs lol! Who knows.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great and everyone enjoyed it!
Out of the hundreds of people who’ve written me to say they’ve tried it, you are the first who said you still prefer the Starbucks version! Guess I can’t win em all :) I am thinking the glass pan you used has something to do with it because of how things bake in glass vs. in metal. I always bake my breads/loaves in metal because I personally seem to get better results overall..so maybe if you try in metal you’ll never need the Starbucks version again!
do you think the texture will be compensated if I use fresh lemon juice in replace of lemon extract. I would assume the lemony taste will be lighter, since it is lemon juice.
Please read some of the prior comments because others have asked about it and I’ve given my opinion to them about this question. I’ve never had success doing it that way but you may.
This looks amazing! I am in love with Starbucks lemon cake and it as definitely been on my mind with the beginning of spring. I have glass and metal pans and am wondering if one would give a better result than the other, to avoid a crust. What do you think?
I use metal and tent with foil at the end. I don’t tend to bake in glass but I think when you do, it’s often necessary to bake slightly longer. And in the case of this already long-cooking loaf, I’d rather get it out of the oven sooner than later. You could try it both ways :) LMK how it goes!
Best lemon loaf and definitely taste better than Starbucks! I can’t wait to take this to work to share with friends! Delicious!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that you think it’s better than Starbucks :)