Go Back
slices of Lemon pound cake with white icing

Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake {Better Than Starbucks} Recipe

By
Love the Starbucks Lemon Loaf? This recipe for an easy lemon pound cake is bathed in fresh lemon syrup while still warm and then topped with a sweet and bright citrus glaze-style icing. No cake mix, no oil, and no lemon extract. Only fresh lemons, butter, and simple pantry staples.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Loaf:

  • 1 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ¼ cups sugar
  • 8 large eggs at room temperature
  • ¼ cup grated lemon zest from about 4 lemons
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups 4 sticks unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Lemon Syrup:

  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup sugar

For the Lemon Glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low-speed combine sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. With the mixer still running, drizzle the butter into the bowl. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine
  4. Sprinkle in the flour mixture over the batter, one-third at a time,mixing gently on low after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
  6. While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
  7. *see note about removing cakes from pans
    Remove loaves to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the loaves. Brush each of the loaves with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely.
  8. To make the thick lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Add the heavy cream and mix well. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of heavy cream if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Notes

*I have made this successfully by removing the cakes from the pans once cool to drizzle with syrup and glaze.  
*But I really love the results of leaving the cakes in the pans and slathering them with the lemon syrup and then putting on the glaze while still in the pan.  
Did You Make This Recipe?Share it on IG or Facebook and tag me @joyfulmomma