Description
A moist, tender lemon loaf cake with a sweet-tart glaze that delivers bright citrus flavor in every bite. This timeless recipe features buttermilk for richness and a crackly sugar crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- 2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- 3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- 4. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in lemon zest.
- 5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon juice.
- 6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 7. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- 8. For glaze: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with zest.
Notes
• For extra lemon flavor, poke warm cake with a skewer and brush with lemon syrup before glazing. • Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days. • Freezes well for up to 1 month (unglazed).