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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.
Details
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 bakes, make the glaze.
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!
Iced Lemon Loaf
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 538 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons juice
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces cream cheese, melted
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a (9×5 inch) loaf pan.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, honey, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, then add the lemon juice, vanilla, and yogurt. It's going to look curdled. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until just combined. 3. In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. 4. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Dollop teaspoon size amounts of the cream cheese over the batter, using half the cream cheese. Gently swirl the cheese using a paring knife. Spoon over another 1/3 of the batter, then swirl in the remaining cream cheese, then spoon the remaining batter over. It's OK if all the cream cheese is not covered. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is just set. If the cake is browning, cover with foil to finish baking. 5. Let cool completely before frosting.6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and honey. Pour the glaze over the loaf. Let set 1 hour (or so), slice and eat
Notes
Note: If you had trouble making originally with almond flour, I have edited the recipe to use regular flour for a better result. I am so sorry for anyone who struggled!
Would love to make this. I am based in the UK and wondering what the ingredients would be in grams please? Thanks
Hey there,
Just click “metric” under the list of ingredients and the measurements will adjust for you:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Excited to make this loaf this morning! If I were to add poppyseeds what amount would you suggest?
Hey Patti,
I would start with 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds and see how that looks in the batter. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I just bought these adorable individual bumble bee silicone molds that I thought might be fun for this recipe for a small gathering. Any suggestions that I should be aware of?
Hey Robin,
So sorry, I’ve never tested this recipe in silicone molds so I’m not sure what your results would be. Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xT
Can I skip the cream cheese swirl without adjusting the rest of the ingredients?
Hi Erin,
Yes, that will be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I have baked LOTS and this recipe did not turn out that good for me. I ended up throwing it out after one bite… The lemon flavor was great BUT it was to wet. I followed the recipe to a T. I think it was because of the honey and I should have substituted granulated sugar. Since I love lemon, I will try it again and not use the honey to see if it turns out better. I did some research and found the below very helpful and now I know the honey was the culprit and will swap it out for 1 cup granulated sugar. Or maybe I could have added more flour to allow for the amount of liquids in the recipe. See below for information I found insightful.
Honey is made up of about 20 percent water, which means you’ll also want to reduce the total amount of liquids in the recipe to counter the extra liquid from the honey.
The higher sugar content in honey means it caramelizes and therefore burns faster than granulated sugar. To ensure that whatever you’re baking doesn’t brown too quickly, lower the heat and keep a watchful eye.
The Rule: For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey and vice-versa.
Hi Christi,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear it did not turn out for you! Please let me know if you give it another try making any adjustments! xx
Man, what am I doing wrong. I always thought I was a good cook. I cook all the time. I make fancy recipes and ordinary recipes, yet for some reason I keep bombing yours.
The lemon loaf was greasy like a baked fry bread. It didn’t have a sweet flavor. It tasted like an old pancake you could cook if you lived on Little House on the Prairie. I know it must be me because so many people had success. Yet this is the 3rd recipe I’ve made that was a fail. It’s so disheartening to spend time, money, and then do all the cleanup and not have anything that tastes even a little bit good. It almost seems like I left something out but I didn’t.
Hi Lucille,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, so sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out well for you! Was there anything you may have adjusted? What kind of flour did you use? What kind of loaf pan did you use? Please let me know how I can help! xx
This recipe is so good!! I just had trouble with the icing – it’s too thin and runny so it doesn’t ‘sit’ on the cake. Any suggestions on thickening it so it looks like/has the same consistency as yours? Thanks!! 🙂
I had the same problem! My icing isn’t white it’s more clear and runny.
Try adding some more powdered sugar:)
I used 2/5 cups of powdered sugar and an extra tablespoon of lemon zest. came out thick and stacked just right!
Thanks for sharing Nicole!!
Hey Deanna,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! For a thicker icing, just add more powdered sugar. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
This is amazing! Thanks for the recipe! What is the best way to keep leftovers? And how long do the leftovers stay good?
Hey Abby,
Happy Sunday! 😃 Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! You can keep this in an airtight container at room temp for 5-6 days. xx
Very good. Light cake with a lovely lemon and honey flavor. Great with tea in the afternoon.
Hey Kim,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT
I love love love it!!
If I wanted to omit yogurt and the cream cheese ( my husband does not eat those) do I need to replace them with anything?
Hi Naomi,
Happy Sunday!!🌸 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! You can skip the cream cheese but you either need to use the greek yogurt or sour cream. xT
I haven’t sliced open yet, but I think my icing was too runny and it’s not sticking on top very well but I’m sure it will be delicious.
Hey Ann,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! Next time, try adding more powdered sugar to the icing if it is too thin:) xT
This is incredible and so delicious!! Also super easy and quick to make. Definitely a new go-to baking staple and have added it to my favorite recipes:)
Question about the icing: Mine didn’t get super thick and turn the usual bright white color. What could I be doing wrong? I’ve had this issue before when making similar icings. It was still absolutely delicious! Only asking from an aesthetic standpoint. Thank you so much Tieghan!!
Hey Kelsey,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! I would just add more powdered sugar to the icing! xT
Should I let the loaf cool in the pan, or take it out to cool?
Hey Tasha,
I would let it cool slightly in the pan and then remove to fully cool:) xx
This was so great!! Everyone loved it and it was gone within a day – kids and adults too. The only change I made was half honey and half granulated sugar bc of how much honey I had. Question though – how do you melt the cream cheese? Mine was kind of in globs which was still tasty but it wasn’t really a “swirl”.
Hey Jessie,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! I just pop it in the microwave! xT
So perfect and simple to make! I can’t believe I’ve spent so many years going to Starbucks when this is the identical loaf and it’s sweeter having it home made.
Hey Ivanna,
Happy Thursday! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks so much for making it! xT