Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe

Moist lemon loaf cake topped with lemon syrup and lemon icing.

Course bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 260kcal

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, sour cream, and sugar together until combined.
⅓ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 cup granulated sugar
Whisk in eggs.
2 large eggs
Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; whisk until well-combined.
½ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Whisk in dry ingredients until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes.
While loaf is cooling, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, and water.
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water
Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Boil for 2-3 minutes, or until sugar has dissolved.
Remove to wire rack, and lightly brush syrup over warm bread.
Let bread cool to room temperature.
Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and lemon zest together.
1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Add in additional milk as needed to get thick but pourable consistency.
Pour over the top of cooled bread.
Let icing set before slicing.

Flour: Properly measuring the flour makes a huge difference in baked goods. To properly measure flour, either weigh it or stir/sift it to break it up. Lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and level.
Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil, like canola, will work.
Sour cream: I've used regular and low-fat sour cream in this recipe. Both have worked well. I don't recommend using fat-free sour cream.
The lemon flavor will intensify as bread sits.
Nutrition values are estimates.