Better Than Bakery Lemon Loaf Cake
This bakery-worthy lemon loaf is soft, fluffy, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor—and it’s so easy to make from scratch! Made with fresh lemon juice, zest, and European butter for a velvety, buttery texture, it’s finished with a tangy lemon icing and crumb topping for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Skip the bakery lines and make this incredibly moist lemon cake at home!
Equipment
- metal 9x5 loaf pan
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest packed
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 12 tablespoons unsalted European butter (like Kerrygold) cubed room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted European butter (like Kerrygold) melted and cooled slightly
- 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Lightly grease and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides of the pan and set aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, rub the lemon zest and sugar together. Then mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder, and combine.
- Mix in the cubed butter on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, vegetable oil, and lemon juice. Mix half of the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl on low speed until the flour is just moistened, then scrape down the bowl
- Mix in the remaining wets, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the lemon batter into the prepared loaf pan, dragging a butter knife through the center.
- Then, mix together the flour, melted butter, and sugar until crumbly. Cover the top of the batter with the crumb topping.
- Bake the loaf cake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Tent the loaf with foil at the 30-40 minute mark to keep the top from getting too dark!
- Once cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice and pour it over the top. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Notes on flour: This recipe requires cake flour. Otherwise, the cake will have a cornmeal-like texture!
Notes on butter: For a true bakery flavor, use full-fat European butter. My favorite is Kerrygold, but you can also use others like Plugra or Danish Creamery.
Pans: I recommend only using a metal loaf pan, as ceramic or glass ones will take much longer to bake!
Storage: Keep leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing/Make ahead: Wrap the whole iced loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Let them defrost at room temperature before serving!
