Lemon Pound Cake (Starbucks Copycat)
You need this bright, cheery, and citrusy lemon loaf cake in your life! Inspired by Starbucks' Iced Lemon Loaf, this version is incredibly moist, topped with a sweet, tangy glaze, and bursting with bright citrus flavor. It’s as stunning and delicious as it is easy to make - just mix, bake, glaze, and serve!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides so you can pull it up for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Massage the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar becomes fragrant and slightly moist.
- Add the eggs to the lemon-sugar mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, milk, butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Take care not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely.
- While the cake cools, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Start with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and add more if a thinner consistency is desired.
- Once the cake has fully cooled, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Always zest your lemons before juicing them! It’s much easier and ensures you get every bit of that bright citrus flavor.
- For accurate flour measurement, use the scoop and level method. (See expert tips for instructions)
- If you forgot to take your butter out of the fridge, you can soften butter quickly and melt it through a variety of methods like using hot water or the microwave.
- Combining the wet and dry until just mixed will make the most light texture. Over stirring can make the batter seize and become thicker and more dense.
- Make sure that the cake is completely cooled before adding the glaze - a warm cake will absorb the glaze instead of letting it beautifully drizzle over the top.
- If you love a more intense lemony kick, make extra glaze and pour it over once the first layer sets.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 336mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 1gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 506IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 1mg
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