Bakery-Style Lemon Loaf
Soft, bright, and perfectly moist, this Bakery-Style Lemon Loaf has that classic coffee shop texture with fresh lemon flavour in every bite. The combination of yogurt, oil, and a touch of butter creates an ultra-tender crumb, while the sweet lemon glaze soaks into the loaf for the perfect finish.
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
45–55 min
Serves
1 loaf
Ingredients
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Lemon Loaf
- 1½ cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- ½ tspbaking soda
- ¼ tspsalt
- ¾ cupgranulated sugar
- 2 largeeggs
- ½ cupplain yogurt (or sour cream for extra richness)
- ½ cupvegetable or canola oil
- 2 tbspmelted butter
- zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cupfresh lemon juice
- 1 tspvanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cupicing sugar
- 2–3 tbspfresh lemon juice
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- 1½ cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- ½ tspbaking soda
- ¼ tspsalt
- ¾ cupgranulated sugar
- 2 largeeggs
- ½ cupplain yogurt (or sour cream for extra richness)
- ½ cupvegetable or canola oil
- 2 tbspmelted butter
- zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cupfresh lemon juice
- 1 tspvanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cupicing sugar
- 2–3 tbspfresh lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the Pan
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
- 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- 1
In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until light and slightly pale. Add the yogurt, oil, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Combine the Batter
- 1
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the loaf soft and tender.
Bake
- 1
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool
- 1
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Glaze
- 1
Whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the slightly warm loaf, allowing the glaze to soak in slightly before setting.
Melissa's Notes
Using both oil and butter gives the loaf the best balance of moisture and flavour. Don't skip the lemon zest — it's what gives this loaf its fresh, vibrant lemon taste. For an extra moist texture, add an additional spoonful of yogurt or sour cream. This loaf tastes even better after resting for a few hours or overnight. Coconut oil works beautifully in this recipe for a subtle lemon-coconut flavour twist.
Nutrition Information
Per slice (loaf cut into 10)
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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