Lemon Loaf Cake Icing (Printable version)
A moist lemon loaf paired with a tangy and sweet lemon icing, perfect for teatime or dessert.
# What you need:
→ Lemon Loaf
01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
05 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 0.33 cup milk
09 - 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Lemon Icing
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
06 - Mix in half of the flour mixture gently, then add the milk. Follow with the remaining flour mixture and stir until just combined; avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and pourable; adjust consistency with additional lemon juice if needed.
11 - Drizzle icing over the cooled cake and allow it to set before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's ridiculously forgiving—even small mistakes somehow turn into something delicious.
- The icing is a game-changer; it transforms a simple cake into something that feels like you spent hours in the kitchen.
- Pairs beautifully with afternoon tea, but nobody will judge you for eating it straight from the cooling rack at 10 PM.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients aren't fancy advice—they're the difference between a silky batter and one that fights back.
- Fresh lemon juice tastes nothing like bottled, and this recipe stakes its entire reputation on that difference.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour deflates all your hard work; fold gently and stop as soon as you can't see dry flour.
03 -
- Zest your lemons before cutting them in half for juice; it's easier to grip a whole lemon and the microplane glides more smoothly.
- Bring all your ingredients to room temperature before starting—it takes 30 minutes and changes everything about the final cake.