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If you love lemon desserts – then you need to try this Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf! It’s buttery, moist, bursting with lemon flavor, and topped with sweet lemon glaze!
This lemon loaf tops the list of favorite lemon desserts, along with Lemon Pound Cake and Lemon Blueberry Muffins.
Starbucks Famous Lemon Loaf
Have you ever tried the lemon loaf from Starbucks? As much as I love homemade treats, I can’t turn down a slice of their lemon pound cake. It’s so tender and packed so much lemon flavor in every single bite.
When I was a student, I’d go to Starbucks on a Sunday to do homework. And without a doubt – I’d always order a slice of their lemon loaf. It has the perfect balance of delicious butteriness without being greasy, and the lemon flavor packs a punch without being sour whatsoever.
So I wanted to find the perfect Starbucks copycat lemon loaf recipe so that I could make a delicious lemon loaf at home and eat 3 slices without the embarrassment of ordering all 3 from the Barista.
Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf Recipe
To develop the perfect lemon loaf from scratch – I had to do some sleuthing. I first looked at the Starbucks website to see the ingredient list for their lemon loaf. While there’s a ton of ingredients I didn’t understand that are obviously only used in commercial kitchens, I did learn a lot about the ingredients they use.
- They use butter instead of oil for the fat.
- They’re using lemon juice, lemon peel and lemon oil for the lemon flavor.
- Both baking powder & baking soda to help it rise beautifully.
- There’s sour cream to keep it moist.
So in order to get a recipe that’s close as possible to the original – I wanted to make sure I had those ingredients in my recipe too. Obviously, they don’t show the exact proportions on their website, so from there it was time to start experimenting in the kitchen.
Developing the Perfect Lemon Loaf Recipe
The first lemon loaf recipe I tried was too dry – so I knew I needed a little more sour cream and an extra egg to keep it tender and moist. Then the next one wasn’t quite lemony enough. Finally, number 3 was just right. Tender, moist, and bursting with fresh sunshine lemon flavor.
To get a lemon flavor that was the most similar to the Starbucks version, I used lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract. I found that the lemon extract made the flavor the most similar to the Starbucks version. However – I know it’s a little harder to come by. So feel free to leave the lemon extract out. Your lemon loaf will still be delicious.
Whether you’ve tried the lemon loaf from Starbucks or not – you definitely need to try Starbucks copycat lemon loaf recipe. It’s perfect for breakfast, a midmorning snack, or even dessert. And the bright lemon flavor makes it taste like sunshine in delicious pound cake form.
Top Tips
- We have received a lot of comments in regards to the icing. The proportions in the recipe include a note to add more powdered sugar as needed until you have a nice thick consistency. This can vary from kitchen to kitchen depending on personal preference, and what type of milk you use. I’ve updated the recipe with less liquid to start for the icing, but keep in mind that you may have to play around with it to get a flavor and texture that you love.
- Check for browning as it bakes. If the top is getting too brown, cover with foil.
- If you want more lemon flavor in the bread and the icing, use lemon extract along with the lemon juice. The flavor will be more intense. It can however have a “fake” taste so be cautious using too much.
Store and Freezing
Your Lemon Loaf will remain fresh for up to 5-6 days when properly stored, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Store leftover Lemon Loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Do not refrigerate as this can dry out the cake.
- For long term storage, you can freeze the Lemon Loaf and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Place frosted lemon loaf (whole or slices) on a sheet pan and pop it into the freezer for 2-3 hours. Once it’s frozen, wrap it up in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then into an airtight freezer container. Unfrosted lemon loaf you can just wrap and freeze.
More Lemon Desserts
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Lemon Brownies
- 35 Best Lemon Desserts
Lovely Lemon Recipes
- Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Lemon Pepper Wings
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and at room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract* or add additional ½ tablespoon of lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar add more until desired consistency is reached
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons cream or milk adjust as needed for consistency
Instructions
Lemon Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour an 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together. Set aside.Â
- In a large mixing bowl, with a electric mixer on medium speed, mix the granulated sugar and the eggs for 2 minutes. The extra time helps to incorporate air into the batter which makes the bread more fluffy.
- Add the melted butter and the oil. Mix to incorporate.
- Add the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are combined.
- Add in the sour cream and mix well.Â
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, approximately ⅓ of the mixture. Mix until almost incorporated and add more. Continue until all the flour is incorporated in the wet mixture. Don’t over mix. Sometimes I will use my hand mixture but finish with a spatula when I only have a little bit of dry flour left.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the top feels firm to the touch. If after about 30-40 minutes the top is browning too much, tent a piece of aluminum foil over top and continue baking.
- Cool completely. Once the loaf is cool, prepare your glaze by mixing all ingredients together
Lemon Icing
- In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream/milk until smooth. Add in more powdered sugar or cream as needed for desired consistency.
- Remove the cooled loaf from the pan and drizzle or pour over top.Â
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.Â
- Melt butter in the microwave then let it cool for a few minutes before adding to the batter.Â
- The original recipe used buttermilk, but I adjusted and now use sour cream instead. It provides more moisture, preventing the bread from turning out dry.Â
- This recipe uses a 9×5-inch loaf pan. The size is important! You can use an 8×4-inch pan, but will need to adjust the time and temperature. It would also result in a thicker loaf and you risk losing moisture.
- This recipe was updated in May 2022 when we adjusted a few ingredients and swapped out buttermilk for sour cream, reduced the butter and added oil. This adds more moisture to the bread.
- If you preferred the old recipe – use ½ cup buttermilk instead of sour cream, omit the oil and add an additional ¼ cup of melted butter, and reduce the amount of baking powder and vanilla to ½ teaspoon each. Bake in an 8.5×4.5 loaf pan.Â
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
what can i substitute for lemon zest? we got these packets saying it will taste like it but we aren’t sure how much to add. it said it was for tea and recipes and tastes like a lemon peel, but it was gross in the bread. we can’t find lemon zest anywhere and have nothing to zest a lemon with. any help???
Hi Emily, without knowing where you are, I can’t give a good suggestion. You could leave the zest out and maybe use lemon extract instead.
I have this cake cooling on my counter. The only question I have, is this did not “dome” like most sweet breads do. I’m sure it will look lovely and taste really good. But I have no idea why it cooked “flat”. My soda and powder were fresh (I always test them even when I just open them) and I beat the eggs thoroughly after each additions, so I’m wondering what (if anything) could have gone wrong.
Hi Dee, there are lots of reasons for the bread not fully rising. The pan may be too small, or it could even be the weather or the oven temperature. It shouldn’t affect the taste though, I hope you enjoyed it!
I’ve tried two recipes for a copy cat lemon loaf and so far this is definitely the best. Mine was just a tiny bit less cakey. Another recipe I tried turned out pretty terrible as it was too dense, didn’t have a good rise, and the icing was always runny because it had butter and I live in AZ where butter (and therefore the icing) becomes room temp and softens in 5 minutes. I feel I must attempt this better recipe again, for research, to see what I can do about getting nust that final step closer to the Starbucks loaf.
Love this recipe!! Could I use the same recipe as cake layers for a 3 layer cake?
I don’t think it would translate well to a layer cake, but you could certainly give it a try.
I tried this recipe a few months ago and it turned out really dry for me as well. However, I tried again today and it turned out much better! I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand, so I used 1 cup unsweetened soy milk+ 1 tbs lemon juice as a buttermilk replacement ( mix and let sit a few minutes before using)
Can I freeze this?
Yes it will freeze nicely. Wrap in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag.
Thanks!! Can I use this recipe as cake layers?
I don’t think it would translate well to a layer cake, but you could certainly give it a try.
This turned out really dry compared to the Starbucks lemon loaf. How can I make this denser and moister?
OMG! I love lemon deserts. I can’t wait to try this one!
Can I substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour? I have some that I need to get rid of!
To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour.
i am definitely gonna try this recipe. since you seem to know about starbucks copycat recipes, would you happen to know what ingredients more or less are in their phenomenal cake pops? the cake pop coating does not taste like regular candy melts to me, and i can’t quite put my finger on what they use for that amazing but not overly sweet richness lol
No but I wish I did! They are delicious!
Made this and LOVED it. This time making two loafs and going to freeze one. Should I do the icing before I freeze or just freeze the plain loaf and ice when I defrost?
I would personally add the icing after defrosting. But you can freeze the iced loaf on a baking sheet for a couple of hours until it’s solid, and then wrap it up and keep it frozen for several months.
Delicious, very moist.
I made this recipe but used orange ? because i didnt have lemons atm and its very good! Will try making again with lemons?
Love the feedback Faith! Thanks for stopping by.
This was a bit dry. I liked baking it. I just don’t think it was a rockstar recipe. I would like to try this recipe again just to perfect some of the recipe
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you, but I do hope you’ll give it another try. It’s received tons of great feedback just as is. 🙂
Made this with my 3 year old and it was super easy. And the best part is it is absolutely delicious and made our house smell amazing! Super fluffy on the inside thanks for the recipe.
This is an amazing recipe! It was so tasty and I enjoyed making it.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Cameron.
Amazing recipe! Works really well even when turned into a Gf/vegan version!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Breana.
Hi Kristin, I’d like to know how much the weigh of the 4 large eggs is in grams (without the shell). In Mexico, the eggs are not sold by size so I´m not familiar with the sizes and it would be better for me to follow the recipe with the exact amount of eggs in grams that are needed, please.
Hi Aida, I had to google that one! Looks like 1 large egg is about 56 grams.
Kristin, you’re so kind, thanks so much for your help, I appreciate it. Have a great day!
You are so welcome Aida! Thanks for stopping by.
Kristin
u can’t print the recipe
Hi Lucy, try clearing your cache on your internet browser. I can print from all of my devices.
I found that with the icing, if you add a little extract to it in addition to the 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp cream, it’s even better. If you add more juice, it’s too runny.
Love the feedback Pule! Thanks for stopping by.
I tried to make it with half of flour cake. Your recipe is really good but for some reason our bread is a bit too firm for our liking. I hope it will turn out ok. I have tried using your exact recipe and my kids loved them. Thank you!
You are so welcome Joanna!