This is the BEST lemon loaf cake! The moist cake is bursting with bright lemon flavor, packed with poppy seeds, and iced with a citrusy and creamy lemon glaze.
My first attempt to create a lemon loaf cake was a few years ago, but I struggled to get the texture and flavor just right. I wanted lots of lemon flavor, but could only add so much lemon juice before the batter become too wet. I tried using lemon extract, but the lemon flavor wasn't natural. Eventually I got frustrated and put the recipe aside after a few disappointing attempts.
This summer I decided it was time to give it another go, and this time I nailed it!
This winning lemon loaf cake recipe is based on my classic pound cake recipe, but with several changes. It uses lemon juice in both the cake and the glaze for a fresh, citrusy flavor. I added vegetable oil and sour cream for extra moistness, reducing the amount of butter and eggs to balance the texture.
But the real trick was using lots of lemon zest and rubbing it into the sugar. This adds a burst of bright, natural lemon flavor to the cake without adding any extra liquid to the batter.
The resulting lemon pound cake is perfectly moist, full of fresh lemon flavor, sprinkled with poppy seeds, and coated with a delightful lemony glaze. And the easy-to-make loaf cake recipe comes together in under 30 minutes of hands-on time!
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Lemons - This recipe uses the grated zest and the juice for maximum lemon flavor. Choose juicy, ripe lemons with a nice peel. Avoid using lemon juice concentrate; freshly squeezed juice gives this cake the best lemon flavor.
Cake Flour - Cake flour helps to creates a more tender crumb. Different brands of cake flour contain different amounts of protein, which will impact the cake's texture. I recommend Softasilk Bleached Cake Flour, which contains 6.9% protein, for this recipe.
Poppy Seeds - The subtle nutty sweetness of poppy seeds complements the citrusy lemon in this cake. The seeds are also just so pretty sprinkles throughout the cake! They're totally optional, so feel free to leave them out if you prefer.
Vegetable Oil - A bit of vegetable oil helps to create a cake that's more moist and tender than a cake made using only butter.
Sour Cream - Sour cream adds richness and moisture to the cake. I always recommend using full fat sour cream for baking. You can substitute Greek yogurt if you prefer, though this may change the texture and flavor slightly.
Milk - Adding a bit of milk to the glaze with the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice helps to create a glaze that's extra creamy. You can use any type of milk you like for this glaze, though I like whole milk best.
Special Equipment
In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spatula), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.
- A zester or grater, for finely grating the zest of the lemon.
- A manual citrus juicer, for juicing the lemons.
- A stand mixer or electric hand mixer, for mixing the cake batter.
- A loaf pan, for baking the cake. For slices that are beautifully tall rather than short and squat, be sure to use a loaf pan that 8.5 inches x 4.5 inches. I love this loaf pan for pretty, tall loaves.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Grate the zest of two lemons into a bowl with sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar. Set aside.
Step 2: Juice the lemons. Set the juice aside for use in the cake and the glaze.
Step 3: Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 4: Cream the butter and sugar by first beating butter until smooth and creamy and then adding the sugar with lemon zest and beating until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Add the vanilla and beat until blended. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating until blended.
Step 6: Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil and beat until blended. Add the sour cream and beat until well combined.
Step 7: Slowly add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Step 8: Pour the batter into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the cake is domed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 9: When the cake is completely cooled, make the glaze. Add confectioners' sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring until the glaze is thick but pourable.
Step 10: Place the cake on a cooling rack on top of a plate and slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving the cake.
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Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
Special Equipment
- Zester or fine grater
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Lemon Cake:
- grated zest of 2 lemons
- 1 ⅛ cups (227 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ⅞ cups (227 grams) cake flour sifted
- 2 Tablespoons (18 grams) poppy seeds optional
- ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
- 12 Tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (57 grams) full fat sour cream
Glaze:
- 1 cup (114 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a standard loaf pan (8.5 in. x 4.5 in.) with cooking spray and set aside.
Make the cake.
- Grate the zest of two lemons into a medium bowl with sugar. Using clean fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils from the zest. Set aside.grated zest of 2 lemons, 1 ⅛ cups (227 grams) granulated sugar
- Juice the lemons. Set the juice aside for use in the cake and the glaze.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 ⅞ cups (227 grams) cake flour, ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder, ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt, 2 Tablespoons (18 grams) poppy seeds
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter and sugar by first beating butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 30 to 60 seconds) and then adding the sugar with lemon zest and beating on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).12 Tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter
- Add the vanilla and beat until blended.½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until blended.4 large eggs
- Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil and beat until blended. The batter will appear curdled, but don't worry; it will come back together when the flour is added.2 Tablespoons (28 grams) lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil
- Add the sour cream and beat until well combined.¼ cup (57 grams) full fat sour cream
- With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake is domed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning the pan over to remove the cake. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the glaze.
- When the cake is completely cooled, make the glaze. Add confectioners' sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring until the glaze is thick but pourable. You might not need to use all of the milk.1 cup (114 grams) confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) whole milk
- Place the cake on a cooling rack on top of a plate and slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving the cake.
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips
Don't skimp when rubbing the lemon zest in to the sugar, since this releases the oils from the lemon zest, enhancing the lemon flavor of the cake. Basically the sugar crystals scratch the zest, releasing its flavorful oils.
Be sure to fully cream the butter and sugar. Properly aerating the butter will help the cake to rise as it bakes and achieve the ideal texture.
When the lemon juice is added, the batter will appear curdled and lumpy. Don't panic; this is expected as the acidic lemon juice reacts with the proteins in the eggs. The batter will come back together when the flour mixture is added.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature: Store loaf cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Unglazed cake can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake at room temperature before glazing and serving.
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