My go-to lemon loaf recipe for years! This delicious Glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf is always perfectly moist and lemony!
I have been making this same lemon loaf for years. It’s my “go to” when only lemon loaf will do. The fact that I’ve never posted it to this point is simply my belief that maybe the internet didn’t really need another lemon loaf recipe. But what the heck. It’s good, it’s tried and tested (many, many times!) and for anyone who has yet to find their “go to” lemon loaf, it’s definitely worthy of consideration.
I suppose lemon loaf is somewhat subjective. What makes this loaf a winner for me is the lovely texture (not too light, not too dense), the perfect level of moistness (not too oily, never dry) and just the right amount of lemon. With this one, the hit of lemon actually comes more from the glaze than the cake, though there is obviously some lemon in the cake. But it’s in the lemon glaze that the the perfect balance is struck, so definitely don’t skip that.
The final point I love about this loaf, is that it needs only 1 large lemon and pretty much typical pantry and fridge items to make it. That means I’m always stocked to make this one, which has come in handy many times when I needed a little something special to share or gift.
Featured Review: I made this lemon pound loaf today and it tastes incredible! I was worried that it wouldn’t have much lemon taste because of the small amount of lemon juice that goes into the batter. There was no need to worry though, the lemon taste is the star of this loaf. This recipe is pure perfection! – Krista
Cook’s Notes
When it comes to baking loaves like this one, there is really just one secret to success. Follow the instructions :) Take it from someone who has (in the past :) skipped certain instructions like “at room temperature”, “whisk together well in a separate bowl” and “add alternately” … yet had what I considered (at the time) to be a reasonably fine result.
It was only when I started following those instructions that I discovered the reason they were there. There’s fine and then there’s great. I learned I prefer the great, so I am willing to be a bit more organized and patient. It’s a small price to pay for great lemon loaf :)
So the moral of that story … be sure to take your eggs, butter and sour cream out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start baking. Be sure to combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a separate large bowl and whisk it together well. You will be rewarded!
This lemon loaf freezes beautifully. Freeze it whole in a freezer bag, or slice it first and freeze it. Slicing first means you can grab a slice when you feel the need, instead of trying to cut/thaw a slice from a frozen whole loaf. To thaw a slice, simply set a frozen slice on the counter on a piece of paper towel and it will be ready to enjoy in 20-30 minutes. To thaw a whole loaf, set on the counter inside the sealed freezer bag until thawed.
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Get the Recipe: Glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
Ingredients
Loaf:
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, salted, or unsalted, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest, from about 1 large lemon
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups (185 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) sour cream, removed from fridge 15 minutes before using
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup (65 g) icing/confectioners' sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, plus more, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. (not convection bake). Spray an 8x4-inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper that covers the bottom and long sides, with an inch or so extending past the top of the pan (these will be the "handles" to lift the loaf out of the pan).
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar at medium speed (about "4 or 5" on a KitchenAid mixer) until light coloured and fluffy. (Don't skimp on this process. It should cream about 3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time and beat in well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed. Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together well the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. With mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, starting with 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the sour cream, 1/3 of the flour, last of the sour cream, then finally the last of the flour.
- Scrape into prepared 8x4-inch loaf pan and level batter. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife along the short ends and use the parchment paper edges to lift and remove from pan. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.
- While loaf is still a little warm, prepare the glaze by stirring together all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl, adding enough lemon juice to make a pourable glaze. Place a baking tray under the cooling rack to catch any drips and spoon glaze slowly over top of loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit. Cool completely, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Absolutely loved it! My husband only left two slices by the time the day was over. The glaze really made it. Only thing is that I had to use 3 lemons instead of just one to get 2 TBSP of the outside of the lemon. Also, didn’t have a grater or zester so I used a very small knife and it worked just like a zester if not better! And I think leaving the ingredients out to reach room temperature was crucial for the recipe. Don’t skip this step!!! I would add the lemons to the list because my room temperature lemon was easier to peel and squeeze. Thanks for the awesome recipe! Will definitely be making these in the future!
Great tips, Kierra! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much :)
I made this lemon goodness a few weeks ago and currently baking another. It’s like heaven in my mouth. Everyone loves it. Cant wait to dive in. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
So glad to hear, Janique :) Thanks so much!
Made this with gluten free flour and worked perfectly, great texture and taste!
So glad to hear, Gail! Thanks :)
Oh no! What happened to the metric conversion? This was my go-to lemon loaf recipe.
Hi Michael, I discovered a while back that the conversion amounts were not always accurate (they are calculated automatically), so I removed them on some baking recipes, as I didn’t want people to have a fail due to incorrect amounts. That said, I’ve put this one back on, just be cautious and make sure the metric amounts look appropriate.
Thank you! The metric conversion always turned out just fine :)
Good to know, Michael! Thanks :)
I have made this cake dozens of times, and it always turns out perfectly every time. So moist and rich. Who need Starbucks, when we can make this at home?! Last week I mixed it up and used orange instead of lemon and grand marnier in place of vanilla. Winner! So tomorrow I’m going to double this recipe and make a bundt in a 12 cup pan. Jennifer, do you think that will work?
The orange sounds delicious, Deb! And I’ve always felt like this would bake up fine as a bundt, but have never actually tried it. And yes, doubling the recipe sounds about right for your 12 cup pan. If you try it, do let me know how it works out!
Could I fold in floured blueberries in this recipe? I love the combination of lemon and blueberries.
I don’t think you’d have any issue adding some floured blueberries here, Bonnie. I wouldn’t add too many, as sometimes that can make the loaf difficult to slice well. Other than that, you should be good :) Let me know how it works out.
Hi! Do you think this would work as a bundt cake? I would imagine having to double the recipe…?
Hi Julie and yes, I think it would work as a bundt cake. Depending on the size of your bundt pan, you may not need to double, but definitely 1 1/2 times the recipe to fill it (if it’s a 10-inch bundt). If you try it, let me know how it worked out :)
The first time I made this loaf I had forgotten to buy sour cream. I used the vanilla yogurt in the fridge. Still turned out delicious. I have another one in the oven and this time I remembered the sour cream.
I have made it both ways, too. Both are good, but I love the extra richness that sour creams brings to the loaf :) Glad you are enjoying it! THanks :)
Hi Jennifer, saw this on Pinterest and can’t wait to try it, pound cake +lemon is definitely something I would love! This probably a dumb question but is this more of a morning cake or a dessert? It sounds more sophisticated than a coffee cake but maybe too brunch- like for a dinner dessert…. I know it really doesn’t matter as it’s a treat anytime but I wanted your opinion, I’m having out of town company this weekend and wasn’t sure if it might be too heavy for breakfast. Would not stop me from eating it ANYtime , that I know!!
Hi Dee and not a dumb question :) For me, this is more of an afternoon/evening cake. It’s not so much it’s heaviness, as it’s sweetness, for me. It’s like eating cake. And not that I haven’t eaten cake for breakfast once or several times, you might find this better served later in the day. Now if you were to throw some blueberries in it, it moves more towards breakfast, at least for me.
Made the lemon loaf today and it was delicious! Never made lemon icing glaze before, so it took a second try to get the right consistency Lol. Recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it, Rosemary and yes, it can be tricky to get the glaze right first go. Thanks!
yummy
Thanks :)
Tonight was my first making lemon pound cake and it was a success! I’m proud of myself. Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to bake again!
That is awesome! So glad it it worked out so well for you :) Thanks so much and happy baking!
Does it need to be refrigerated after baked?
Hi Pam and no, you can just wrap it well and leave it at room temperature.
I had a lemon pound cake at a coffee morning and loved it. Didn’t know the person who backed it so could not ask for the recipe. Googled and chanced on this one.
Loved it! I have made it 3 times …and usually I finish most of it by myself. The lemony icing adds that perfect lemon taste to a lovely soft and light cake. Yum!
It is def my go to recipe for a cake for coffee mornings or just for a simple cake at tea time at home Thank you
So glad you are enjoying it, Manisha! Thanks so much :)
The first time I made this recipe, I found it to be a bit lackluster as far as lemon taste. This time however, I used an additional tablespoon of zest, and added in when creaming the sugar and butter to bring out more of the flavor. I also substituted the vanilla for an additional teaspoon of lemon juice. For the glaze, I thinned it down a bit, and poked holes through the tops of the loaves and poured the thinned glaze all over as soon as it came out of the oven rather than waiting. Soaking in to the cake really boosted the lemony flavor. Nice recipe overall.
Thanks Cindy. Glad you are enjoying it :)
Hi, I was just wondering, if I don’t have sour cream at hand, would the ingredient measurements change drastically? And would it change the taste too much?
Thanks so much!
Hi Amber, the sour cream contributes both moistness and additional fat to this loaf, both of which contribute to the tender, moist crumb. I assume you’d like to omit the sour cream? I’d first look for something to replace it with. Do you have some yogurt or ricotta cheese or similar on hand? Cream would also work, maybe using about 1/4 cup. If all else fails, maybe add 3 Tbsp milk and 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. Hope that helps :)
Hi! This recipe looks so good and has great feedback. I’d like to make this for a babyshower im hosting, but as mini muffins. Do you think it would work? I’m sure I would have to reduce baking time.
I think it would and yes, you would need to reduce the baking time considerably. If I had to guess, I’d say 15 minutes, but that’s just a guess. Just watch them like a hawk :) Enjoy!