🍋 The Best Moist Lemon Loaf Cake (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
If you’ve ever craved the bright, tangy flavor of Starbucks’ lemon loaf, this moist lemon loaf cake recipe is your new go-to. Bursting with citrusy goodness and topped with a sweet lemon glaze, it’s perfect for brunch, dessert, or an afternoon treat with tea.
This homemade lemon loaf is incredibly easy to make with simple pantry ingredients. You’ll get a soft, buttery texture with the perfect balance of tart and sweet — no artificial flavoring needed. And the best part? It tastes even better the next day!
🍰 Ingredients You'll Need:
Fresh lemon juice and zest (for that bold lemon flavor)
All-purpose flour
Eggs
Sugar
Butter
Baking powder
Greek yogurt (for extra moisture!)
Tools You’ll Need
large bowl
stand or hand mixer
rubber spa
Tips for the Perfect Lemon Loaf
Use fresh lemons. Bottled juice won’t give you that vibrant flavor.
Don’t overmix the batter — mix until just combined.
Let the cake cool completely before glazing to prevent a runny mess.
How to Make Blueberry Glaze:
Simply mix powdered sugar with a 1/4 cup of microwaved and mashed blueberries until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let it set.
This easy lemon loaf cake is freezer-friendly and makes a beautiful homemade gift. Whether you’re hosting a spring brunch or just want something sweet with your coffee, this recipe delivers every time.
Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below — your feedback helps others and supports the blog!
Would you like a printable recipe card or a Pinterest image for this post?
Check Out these recipes
Ingredients
1 stick butter brown butter
1 block softened cream cheese
4 eggs
zest and juice of 3 lemons
2 tbs lemon extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
Cake
1/2 cup oil
1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
2 tbs cake goo
Icing
1/2 cup blueberry preserves
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat over to 350 degrees F
In a small sauce pot brown 1 stick of butter and let come to room temperature.
Beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth
And add cooled brown butter. Mix until well combined
To cream and butter mixture add sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest
Once well incorporated, add flour baking powder, salt, and baking soda
Slowly add in heavy cream until batter is smooth
Scrape bottom of bowl and mix again to ensure that all ingredients are throughly mixed in.
Grease loaf pan with cake goo or butter and flour and fill pan with batter
Bake lemon cake for an hour on 350 or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs
As cake bake create icing by combing preserves, powdered sugar, salt, and heavy cream
Let Loaf cake cool completely before icing
