Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe

My favorite thing to order at Starbucks is their famous lemon loaf. The glaze is the absolute best with the moist lemon bread. Pair it with a delicious cup of coffee and the day is even better.

The downside is the lemon loaf is pricey for one slice. It can add up if you have an addiction like I do. The solution is this copycat version which I dare say is better.

Do yourself a favor and make this Starbucks recipe today. To save even more money you want to make these other copycat Starbuck Recipes – Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe, Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe, Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Recipe, Starbucks Cake Pops Recipe and Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

Enjoy this Starbucks version of lemon loaf at home. You will love being able to have a slice anytime you want. Each bite is a flavor burst with lemon. The lemon juice lemon zest and glaze make each bite simply the best.

Now, you can enjoy this any day of the week at home. It is so easy to make and the results are impressive. I think your family will agree how fabulous this recipe is.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour – Try with Gluten-Free Flour if you prefer
• Butter – This should be softened at room temperature. We unsalted butter
• Sour Cream – Substitute with Greek Yogurt
• Lemon Juice – We recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best flavor when making the lemon glaze

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

How to Make Starbucks Lemon Loaf

• Step 1 – First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating up, line a 9 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. You can also spray it with cooking spray.

Step 2 – Next, get out a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, sour cream and sugar. Cream together with a hand held or stand mixer. The mixture should be light and fluffy.

Step 3 – Then, add the eggs into the mixture. Do this slowly adding one egg at a time and mixing in between each egg. Once all of the eggs have been added, stir in the lemon extract.

Step 4 – In a Separate Bowl – Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and combine. Mix in the lemon zest.

Step 5 – Finally, pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Step 6 – The cake needs to cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the loaf pan. Then move the loaf to a wire rack so that it can cool completely.

Step 7 – Make the glaze while the cake is cooling. Just whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pour the glaze over the top.

Expert Tips

• The Lemon Extract is needed for that strong lemon flavor that is similar to the Starbucks cake.  If you leave it out, it will still be delicious but it will not taste like Starbucks. Also, don’t add extra lemon extract as it will make it taste like fake lemon flavor.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients. The lemon loaf will be soft and fluffier once baked if you do this.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter. You want it to be just combined.
• The Sour Cream helps to make this recipe really moist. Don’t substitute it or reduce the amount.
• It is important to adjust the glaze accordingly. You may need to add more milk or powdered sugar to get to the consistency you prefer.
• Make sure to not let the top brown. You don’t want the top of the lemon loaf to get too brown while it bakes. Check on it periodically and if it is starting to brown, cover it with foil.

How to Freeze Lemon Loaf

• Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap tightly. Then wrap again in foil. I like heavy duty foil but you can use regular if that is all you have.

• Put the wrapped loaf in a freezer bag and seal pressing as much air out as possible. It will keep up to 2 to 3 months in the freezer for the best flavor.

• If you want to freeze individual slices, place them on a baking sheet. Put in the freezer for 2 hours. Freezing them in individual slices, allows you to have a slice without having to thawing a whole loaf.

• Then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and again in foil. You can place the slices inside an air tight freezer container or bag. Since you frozen them for a few hours first, the glaze should stay intact and the slices will still look nice.

I absolutely love having slices in the freezer. It is perfect to grab when I am craving Starbucks lemon loaf. Plus, it is nice when guests are coming and you want to serve a special treat.