🍋 Baked Lemon Loaf Cake / Pound Cake
A lemon loaf cake is a tender, buttery cake with bright citrus flavor — similar to a pound cake but baked in a loaf pan for easy slicing. It’s perfect for breakfast, tea, or dessert.
📝 Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe (Classic Pound Cake Style)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
Optional Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2️⃣ Mix Dry Ingredients
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3️⃣ Cream Butter & Sugar
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes).
4️⃣ Add Eggs & Flavorings
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Add vanilla and lemon zest.
5️⃣ Combine Wet & Dry
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk/lemon juice to batter, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
6️⃣ Bake
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
- Bake 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack.
7️⃣ Optional Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over cooled loaf.
🔥 Tips
- Room temperature ingredients create a smoother batter.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour to keep cake tender.
- For stronger lemon flavor, add 1 tsp lemon extract.
- Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds for texture.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Slice with tea or coffee
- Serve with whipped cream or fresh berries
- Make mini loaf versions for gifting or brunch
I can also give a zesty lemon cream cheese pound cake version that’s richer and extra moist if you want. Do you want that version?
