Lemon Loaf with Sweet Icing (Printable)

Moist zesty loaf topped with a silky sweet lemon glaze.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Lemon Loaf Batter

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Sweet Lemon Icing

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tsp lemon zest

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; mix to combine.
05 - Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed. Add the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
07 - Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - For the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with more lemon juice if needed.
10 - Drizzle the icing over the cooled loaf. Let set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb stays incredibly moist for days, wrapped in foil on the counter.
  • Fresh lemon juice and zest give it a brightness that tastes alive, not artificial.
  • The icing hardens just enough to crack under your fork but melts on your tongue.
  • It comes together in one bowl with no fuss and bakes while you clean up.
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper lining, because even a greased pan can stick and tear the loaf when you try to remove it.
  • Room temperature butter is essential for a light crumb, cold butter will not cream properly and the texture will be dense.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference, bottled juice tastes flat and slightly bitter compared to freshly squeezed.
  • Let the loaf cool completely before icing or the glaze will melt and soak in instead of setting on top.
03 -
  • Use a Microplane grater for the zest so you get only the fragrant yellow peel and none of the bitter white pith underneath.
  • If the top is browning too fast in the oven, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
  • For extra moisture, swap half the milk with full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, it adds a subtle tang that complements the lemon beautifully.
  • Taste your icing before you drizzle it, if it is too sweet add a tiny pinch of salt to balance the sugar.

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