This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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
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
Made this for my husband’s birthday and it was a hit! We like the icing thicker so I about doubled the powdered sugar and added just two tablespoons of room temperature butter. Will definitely be making again!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Ruth.
Loved it! I used yogurt instead of buttermilk as that’s all I had and could’ve been a little more moist but will make again !!
Hi Shelbe, Thank you for sharing your feedback.
This loaf was fantastic and an absolute hit in a house of picky eaters. I’ve got celiac disease and replacing with a good gluten free flour came out just fine, too (add a 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum if you go this route). The loaf was made 18 hours ago and it’s almost gone. This is absolutely going in my recipe book. Thank you!
Mine was a little on the dry side. But was still pretty good.
Thank you so much Carmen for your feedback.
This is very close to Starbucks lemon cake, possibly better! I followed the recipe almost as written, bringing eggs to room temp as suggested. I accidentally used 1/2 cup sour cream because I thought I had grabbed the 1/3 cup. Also, because I always do when I bake cakes ir cookies, I added a 3.4 oz box of jello instant pudding (lemon flavor, but vanilla would work too). I also used butter in place of the cream in the frosting because I wanted that thicker paste-like consistency like at Starbucks. This cake was perfection! Dense, moist, highly satisfying!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You are so welcome Debbie! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback.
This was amazing! It was the first time ever making it and it came out so good! Incredibly moist and lemony. I didn’t have lemon extract so I used the extra lemon zest and it was amazing. Thank you!
You are so welcome Ananya! (Awesome feedback), thanks for stopping by.
Can I use heavy whipping cream or crème fraîche instead of the buttermilk ? Thx
You could use crème fraîche. Or use milk and vinegar/lemon juice (How to Make Buttermilk)
Can I use salted butter that’s all I have
Yes that’s fine. I’ve used salted butter and it really doesn’t’ make much of a difference.
Loved this recipe! I made it without lemon extract and made my own buttercream and it still turned out amazing! Will be making regularly when I have extra lemons!
Awesome feedback Hannah! Thanks for stopping by.
This is absolutely delicious and easy to make.
Nice job Kristen!
Thank you so much Joe, for stopping by and your feedback.
This loaf is awesome. Thank you so much for the recipe. I skipped the lemon extract, but managed to get 3.5 TBSP of zest from a large lemon, which was a good amount for flavour. Your baking instructions were spot on for me – foil at 40 min, done at 60.
You are so welcome Penny! (Awesome feedback) Thanks for stopping by.
Hi
I was wondering if I was to make it in a 9.5 flunted bunt cake pan would I need to do anything different. Any tips?
Hi Kaaya, It sound like you’re making the recipe differently because that’s what you have on hand, but changing even a few things might not have the result you want. I’m not sure how it would work in a fluted pan. It would probably be fine.
Hi
I was wondering if I could use oil instead of butter. Would it taste the same? How much would I need to use and when do I add it?
Hi Kaaya, yes you can replace the butter with oil. The flavor will be different and not as rich, but it will work.
Can we use lemo on extract or something else for lemon zest? It’s the only thing I don’t have (can get some but I’d prefer not to go out).
Hi Violet, you can omit the zest or add a tiny bit more extract. It might not be as intense with lemon flavor but will still be tasty.
If I use sour cream instead of buttermilk, would I still do the step by putting half flour then half sour cream?
Yes follow the recipe as written, even with substitutions.
Hi! Do I need to grease the pan or line baking paper/wax paper first before pouring the batter? Thank you so much. I really want to try your recipe.
Hi Myles, Step one tells you to line the pan with parchment paper. IF you don’t have that, grease the pan really well.
This is delicious cake. My husband fell in love with it from the very first bite
That’s awesome Delores! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Tracy, you might try making this with Steve’s Gluten Free cake flour (you’ll have to order it online as I’ve never seen it in stores). I use it exclusively for my Gluten Free customers. Don’t worry that it’s a cake flour, it works beautifully and it’s a 1:1 replacement for wheat flour. My daughter in law also needs to use GF and we often find that the GF baked goods I make are even better than the wheat versions when we use Steve’s GF flours. I hope this helps
I am a home baker and seen your delicious looking cake and would love to make this for my family.
can u convert this recipe into gram measurements?
There are lots of websites that will convert for you. Just google cups to grams, etc.
I love try this weekend, I need gluten free food otherwise I’ll have to visit the ER if I don’t have gluten free foods. If you have any gluten recipes that would be Great.
Thank you for your time and sharing this receipt with us.
Hi! I’ve made this as a loaf before to rave reviews, awesome recipe. I’m wondering if I can double the recipe & use either a 9×13 or 8×8 baking dish? Would it still rise & cook properly, what sort of cook time would you recommend for either of those sizes of baking dish?
Thank you!
I have converted quick breads to an 8×8 before, but not this recipe. I think it would work fine, you ‘d just need to adjust the cooking time.