Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake
This is the BEST Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake recipe. The lemon pound cake is super easy and foolproof to make, then gets drizzled with an easy lemon syrup and glazed with the best lemon glaze.
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 301kcal
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature preferred; OR Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1-2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest about 1 lemon; zest before cutting in half/juicing
- 2 cups flour spooned and levelled (240g or 8.5 ounces; do NOT over-measure flour! If you have kitchen scales, I highly recommend weighing your flour!)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon syrup:
- ½ cup lemon juice about 3 lemons; please measure juice before adding icing sugar
- 1 cup icing sugar sifted if clumpy
Glaze:
- 1 cup icing sugar sifted if clumpy
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice about ½ lemon
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5 inch (OR 8x4 inch) loaf pan with baking parchment.
- Cream ingredients: Place 1 cup butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer using the beater attachments until creamy (you can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Add 3 large eggs and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and cream until light in color and fluffy. Add ½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; mix until combined (it's OK if it looks split and scraggly).
- Add dry ingredients: Add 2 cups flour to bowl with creamed ingredients, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt on top. Mix on low with your mixer, until you have a smooth batter.
- Bake: Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before adding the syrup (leave cake in pan).
- Syrup: Combine ½ cup lemon juice with 1 cup icing sugar. Using a skewer, poke several holes into cake, about ¾ into the cake (do not poke holes all the way down to bottom of cake!). Brush syrup over cake, waiting for syrup to soak in before adding more. Let cake sit in pan for 10 more minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: Mix 1 cup icing sugar and 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth and barely pourable (it's a thick glaze). Carefully spread on top of completely cooled cake. Let firm up for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Butter – Use real butter for moisture and richness.
- Sour cream – Keeps the cake moist; Greek yogurt works too.
- Fresh lemons – Best flavor! If using bottled juice, add lemon extract.
- Flour – Spoon & level (240g) to avoid a dense loaf.
Recipe tips
- Mixing – Cream butter well, beat eggs/sugar until fluffy, then mix gently after adding dry ingredients until smooth.
- Baking – Check with a toothpick; a few moist crumbs are fine.
- Lemon syrup – Poke holes ¾ down, not all the way, to soak in flavor.
- Glazing – Let cake cool completely or the glaze will melt.
Storage
- Room Temp – Store airtight for 3-4 days.
- Fridge – Keeps up to a week; bring to room temp before serving.
- Freezer – Freeze unglazed for up to 3 months; thaw before adding glaze.
Nutrition
Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 152mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1.5mg