Best Ever Lemon Loaf Recipe
I am so in love with this cake, it is the Best Ever Lemon Loaf Recipe I have ever baked. Yes, I know it’s sounds odd, bragging about my own recipe.
Best Ever Lemon Loaf Recipe
Well that’s what I thought until a lady sent me a very nasty comment telling me that my Lemon Loaf was not as great as I thought it was.
So back to the drawing board I went. I must have tested this recipe at least 10 times, I am not exaggerating. Never mind that I tested the original recipe a million times already.
I think my helper is tired of tasting my lemon loaves. Today she must have felt some relief when I told her I am done testing. This is the one.
If it’s one cake I simply love it’s a lemon loaf. Although I have had success with my old recipe some people may have struggled with it.
After much research and testing different techniques I have finally found the perfect recipe. I am not going to take all the credit for this one.
I saw a recipe on a blog called Vintage Kitchen Notes. In her recipe she beat the sour cream with the butter.
There was no baking powder in the recipe, the air in the batter helps the cake rise with a little help from the tiny bit of bicarbonate of soda.
She also used slightly more flour than I used in my original recipe. So I increased the flour just a tad bit.
And you know what those little changes will make it easy for anyone to make this loaf. It has a fine crumb, not that my previous one didn’t have one.
But what I really wanted to achieve, which I felt my other loaf lacked, was that rise. This cake did rise and stayed there.
The previous one did rise but once cool it did flatten a little. I guess it also depends on how finicky you are about things.
Maybe I am not one that is obsessed with perfection. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I have so much more to stress about in life than worry about whether my cakes are picture perfect.
I love the tangy taste of lemons in a cake, this one has just the right amount. The sour cream makes this cake light and moist.
You don’t have to believe everything I say but do try the recipe and see for yourself. And if it turns out as great as I say then you can thank me.
Although I did incorporate air in my batter, using a different technique in my previous recipe. I feel it may have worked for me but I think some people struggled with keeping it aerated.
I drizzled a lemon glaze on top of the cake but you don’t have to add more lemon if you don’t want to. You can add milk instead of lemon juice to the glaze if you prefer.
If it’s lemon cake I really want to taste the lemon so it’s why I went all the way with lemons. I don’t regret it though, this is the Best Ever Lemon Loaf Recipe and a keeper for me.
Important Notes
Firstly you have to make sure your butter, eggs and sour cream is at room temperature. Take your stuff out the fridge at least an hour before you start baking.
Before you start the baking process ensure you have all your ingredients at the ready. You don’t want to leave your mixture lying around whilst you start gathering your other ingredients.
When grating the lemon rind be careful not to get the white bits of the lemon. That does create a bitter taste.
Please grease your loaf pan a little, with some oil. I also add a piece of baking paper to the bottom and sides of the pan because I am extra cautious and it’s easier to remove the loaf from the pan.
Hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you’re looking for a vegan version of this recipe why not try this one from the Cheeky Chickpea.
More Cake Recipes to try:
Super Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake
Recipe first published March 10, 2021 Updated March 16, 2023
Best Ever Lemon Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 gram/1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup castor sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1&2/3 cup cake wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a loaf pan 9"x4" or about 22x11cm with butter and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper
- Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda and set aside
- In a large bowl beat the butter and sour cream together for at least 1 minute, using an electric hand mixer. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Add it to the butter mixture and beat for 4 minutes until it's light in color. You can beat this on a medium speed
- Mix in the eggs, one a time. Ensure it is well incorporated
- Mix in the lemon and juice
- Add the flour, half at a time. Using the electric mixer, mix until combined, on a low speed. Do not be tempted to over mix.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Use a spatula and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely before turning it onto a cooling rack
Lemon Glaze
- Mix the icing sugar and glaze together using a whisk
- Drizzle over the cool cake
Notes
- If you prefer more glaze you can double the amount of icing sugar and lemon juice
- The granulated sugar can be substituted with castor sugar
- Sour cream gives this cake that fine crumb and definitely adds a beautiful flavour to this loaf so I wouldn't recommend a substitute
- I don't feel the need to add vanilla essence, however, feel free to add a teaspoon if you wish
- I always use salted butter in all my baking. I understand that the salt content differs from butter to butter but I don't think enough to create a disaster
- The size of the pan matters. If your pan is slightly bigger then you won't get it to rise well because the batter will spread out more
hi there
can I use plain yogurt instead of sour cream?
tx u
Hi Carmen! Yes you can, texture may not be exactly the same but it will work. Good luck!
I made this loaf and my family absolutely loved it. great recipe 👍
Thank you Carmen:-)
Hi there 🙂
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Liesel! I always use salted butter in baking.
Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Lorraine, my favourite go to lemon loaf recipe – moist, soft and scrumptious! Always a crowd pleaser! Love all your recipes 😊
Thank you so much Bianca, it’s definitely my favourite too:-)
Hi Lorraine, just wondered if you have an easy to follow recipe for Cape Malay Koeksisters that is not a heart attack on the plate with frying and coating with syrup? Thank you 😊
Hi Bianca! I don’t have one other than fried but it’s my chance to work on one that’s not. So let’s see if we can have a baked Koeksister soon.
Hi-love lemon loaves & cant wait to make this. Do you think I can sub almond flour in? Wanted to find a lemon loaf I can make for Passover. Thank you!
Hi Michelle! I am so sorry I haven’t tried this particular recipe with almond flour. I know the texture may not be the same, however you can try and maybe add a bit more liquid. Take Care:-)
Wonderful recipe and so easy to make. I usually adjust the sugar when I follow other recipes because I find it too sweet but with your recipes the quantity is always perfect. No need to buy the Woolies lemon drizzle teacake anymore!
Thank you so much Les. You’ve made my day. Sorry Woolies…Lol!
This was SO good and appreciated the shortcuts of Just dumping the latter ingredients- worked so well. Next time will experiment with adding coconut, wonder if that would work.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank you so much Christina. I have never had lemon and coconut but you can definitely try it and see if your tastebuds approve:-)
Love this recipe. Always comes out perfect. Love your cooking and baking recipes
Can I use buttermilk if I dont have sour cream?
I haven’t used buttermilk for this recipe, however you can try:-)
Made this and it is all sorts of yum. So soft and delicate, that lemon glaze gives it that lemony kick. This is perfect for all occasions
Thank you Phumla. It’s a lovely cake and one of my absolute favourites:-)
Hi Lorraine
I made this cake yesterday and it was super moist and delicious. I added a few drops of yellow food colouring to make it look more lemony. Thanks for sharing all your recipes, love them all.
Thank you so much. Happy to hear the recipe was a success:-)
Such a hit in the family. This was so delish! Thank you
Great cake recipe . Thanks
Used yogurt
Hi Lorraine
I used this recipe but tweaked it a little because I didn’t have sour cream – I used 100ml fresh cream & 25 ml plain double cream yogurt.
It was amazing! Thank you <3