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Sweet and swirled Iced Lemon Loaf. Better than any coffee shop, this bread melts in your mouth. Doughy lemon loaf cake with just the right amount of lemon, sweetened with honey, and made fluffy. It’s extra special with a swirl of cream cheese and finished simply with a thick and creamy lemon glaze. This lemon loaf has such a nice spring vibe, plus it’s easier than you’d think to make.
I’ve definitely said this before, but sometimes I let recipes sit on my idea list for far too long before actually attempting to make them. It’s silly, because the reason I let them sit there is simply because I fear they’re not going to be “special” enough.
In reality, it’s me second guessing myself. Again it is silly. But here’s the upside, I let them sit, but I tend to always come back to them, usually adding something that really does make them extra special.
I’ve had an iced lemon loaf on my list for at least 2 winters now. I wanted to recreate the Starbucks loaf, but at home. So many of you have messaged me asking for a homemade version, but I just wasn’t sure.
Anyway, I finally gave in and I made the loaf. But with a few adaptions to make it more wholesome, less sweet, and even more delicious.
There’s a subtle swirl of lemony cream cheese that really makes this so GOOD.
The first step is to cream the butter with lots of lemon zest and honey. I love to use honey, not only for a little added flavor, but because it’s better for you than using white sugar. And I always find you can use less sweetener that way too.
Eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice follow. What I will note is, at this point, the batter is going to look like it’s curdled. That’s only because it’s more liquid than butter. Don’t freak, it comes together once you add the flour.
Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed in, simply beat in the flour and the remaining ingredients.
Now the special part (that Starbuck’s loaf is really missing) is a pretty swirl of lemony cream cheese. It might not seem like much, but trust me it really does make this loaf just that much more delicious.
Mix the cream with lemon zest, then simply swirl it into the loaf pan full of batter.
While the cake is so good on its own (really, it is), the glaze seals the deal. Literally.
It’s just powdered sugar, lemon juice, and then I love to add honey for a perfect glossy texture. It’s sweet, creamy, and simple.
And that’s it…simple, pretty, perfectly sweet, extra moist, and SO GOOD! Every bite is bursting with sweetness and lemony flavor.
Happiest Tuesday night baking to you all! Hope you guys all enjoy this iced lemon loaf as much as I do!
Looking for other sweets? Here are a few to try:
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Dirty Horchata Tres Leches Cake
Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake
Coconut Banana Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make this Iced Lemon Loaf be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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So delicious and easy to make! It’s light and not t overly sweet. I love it so much that I’ve made it 3 weekends in a row. Thanks for your awesome recipes!
Hi Lorelei,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
I am an avid HBH recipe follower and I’ve made numerous recipes but this is one I will not make again. The dough itself was very airy but when baked the texture was off. I will continue to make more of your delicious recipes. My almost 2 y/o nephew loved it!
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xTieghan
Im so excited to make this! Can i do it in mini load cases instead of a big loaf tin?
Hey there,
Totally, that’s a great idea!! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I had so much fun making this recipe! However, I really struggled with the consistency of the icing.. I tried making it twice to see if maybe I messed up the first time (added a little extra powdered sugar the second time) but when I poured it over the loaf it was clear. How can I get it to look as thick/delicious as yours?! I really want to try making this a second time.
Thanks!
Hey Jackie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try!! You just need to keep adding more powdered sugar until the consistency you are looking for. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this for Easter brunch, and it was a huge hit! I subbed GF 1:1 flour, cut the amount of cream cheese slightly, and used half maple/half honey because I didn’t have enough honey on-hand.
It turned out more moist than I expected, but it seemed like people enjoyed that aspect of it.
I really loved this recipe and look forward to making it again!
Hey Cristina,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear that it was a winner! xxT
I made this for our Easter celebration yesterday and it was so good! I used Meyer lemons because I’ve never used them before and I loved the sweet lemon flavor this loaf had. The glaze really added that finishing touch. I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Jennifer,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled to hear that it was a winner! Have the best week!🌸 xT
Made this for Easter and everyone loved it! The cake is so moist and so flavorful. Thank you for the recipe!
Happy Easter, He has risen!
Hey Baylee,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled to hear that it was a winner! Have the best week!🌸 xT
The loaf was delicious, but I couldn’t get the glaze right. I followed it step by step and it was very watery. It didn’t turn out like an icing that is shown in the picture. Maybe next time I’ll cut one of the tablespoons of lemon juice and add a little more convection sugar (I’ll definitely make this again because like I said the loaf itself was delicious!)
Hey Lauren,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled to hear that it was a winner! Sorry to hear about the glaze, sounds like it needed some more powdered sugar! Have the best week!🌸 xT
I didn’t have much luck with this recipe. Followed all the steps correctly but my loaf was too moist/raw on the bottom and would not set up no matter how long I put it back in the oven (could’ve very well been an issue with my pan). Since the bottom completely fell apart I decided to utilize the top half and turn it into a trifle with layers of whipped cream and blueberries. The flavor of the actual loaf itself was wonderful though!
Hey Madisen,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear you had issues with the loaf! What kind of pan did you use? Let me know if I can help in anyway! xx
Made this recipe tonight! Turned out great :0)
Hey Chelsea,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
The first recipe from HBH that was a fail. Recipe followed step by step, greasy and very dense can not eat it. So sad, I would recommend to cut the amount of butter in half for what is needed when I took the bread out of the oven it had butter bubbling all around it.
I made the lemon lime bars. Sheer perfection
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
Made this for the first time so I followed the recipe exactly. I found it too greasy so right now, the loaf is sitting on paper towels to blot some of the fat. I used my silicone loaf pan so that I wouldn’t have to grease the pan. If I make this again, I will try with a bit less butter and use lemon extract instead of vanilla.
Hi Alli,
Sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
Made this tonight with the help of my boys (4 & 12) and how delish! We had to have a warm slice so we didn’t wait the hour to cool. I cut each slice and drizzled some icing. Will ice the rest afterwards. But we couldn’t resist and it was totally worth eating nice and warm! Loved it!
Hi Karla,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for trying it out! ☀️xx
Hi!
Looking to make this for Easter. If I make it on Saturday how do you suggest storing overnight? Should the icing be made and applied Sunday (rather than Saturday)? Thoughts on adding blueberries? and if yes to that, how much would you suggest adding and when?
Thanks!
Jules
Hey Jules,
You can store in an airtight container on the counter. You can add the glaze on Sunday:) I would fold in 1/2 cup of blueberries before baking. I hope you love the recipe! xx
Can I make this ahead and serve for next day? If so, how do I keep? fridge or no fridge?
Hey there,
Yes, just keep in an airtight container on the counter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how the recipe turns out! xTieghan
I would like to use almond flour for this recipe. How do I need to adjust this recipe?
Hi Vicki,
So sorry, I would not recommend using almond flour here, but you can use an equal amount of gluten free flour. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Thank you! I made this with gluten free flour and it turned out wonderfully.
Hey Vicki,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great week! 🌺xxT