This Easy Lemon Loaf is perfectly tangy and bursting with fresh lemon flavour!
When we first moved to Calgary as newlyweds, we lucked out and met some great neighbours who quickly became good friends for the short time they lived here. Over 10 years later we still keep in touch, and are crossing our fingers to be neighbours again one day! Anyway, I remember one day my friend brought over a newly baked and warm lemon loaf that was so delicious that I had to have the recipe! Of course I did. The cake was light, sweet and perfectly lemony.
Now I make this lemon loaf every year in January or February, which coincides with when my in-laws would bring back a box of citrus fruit for us from Arizona. With so many fresh lemons to use, this loaf recipe is a perfect way to enjoy a mid winter pick me up.
I actually prefer this loaf after it has sat for a day, and the fresh lemon/sugar mix has had a chance to soak into the bread. It just gets more flavourful and moist the longer you let it rest…but no longer than a day because there’s a fine line between when a loaf is moist, then all of a sudden it’s dry. So moral of the story, let it sit overnight and enjoy it the next day. This loaf really is good so you’ll probably finish it in one sitting anyway.
This time of year a lemon loaf is a nice little ray of much needed sunshine. Enjoy it with a cup of tea and your family or friends!

Easy Lemon Loaf
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
This Easy Lemon Loaf is perfectly tangy and bursting with fresh lemon flavour!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 medium sized lemon zested (just the lemon zest)
- 1 medium sized lemon juiced (just the lemon juice)
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with wax paper. Set aside.
- With a mixer cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add in the eggs, 1 at a time.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add 1/2 of the flour mix to the butter mix.
- Then add 1/2 of the milk.
- Add the remaining flour mix.
- Mix in the remaining milk and lemon zest.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- In the mean time, combine the juice from 1 lemon with 1/4 cup sugar.
- When the cake is done baking, take it out of the oven, and pierce holes in it with a knife – make sure to get to the bottom of the loaf so the lemon juice mixture can get right down into the cake. Pour lemon juice/sugar mix over warm cake.
- Let sit. This cake is even better the next day.
- Enjoy!
Notes
1 medium lemon = approximately 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp lemon zest
- Cuisine: Bread
Keywords: lemon cake, lemon loaf
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More Delicious Lemon Recipes:
- Lemon Scones and serve them with Lemon Curd Glaze
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Easy Lemon Mousse
- Lemon Cream Fruit Tart
15+ Lemon Recipes:
Have a delicious day!
49 Comments
Leesy
January 26, 2016 at 5:32 PMMMM… this looks scrumptious! Pinning this!
[email protected]
January 29, 2016 at 12:46 PMThank you Leesy!
Carolyn Daniels
June 30, 2020 at 6:25 PMHi there – ready to pour this into pan but what size loaf pan – thank you! Not sure if you are on your computer
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
June 30, 2020 at 6:41 PMHi Carolyn! I use a standard loaf pan (1 lb. Pan: 8″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ high). Enjoy!
Ann
January 29, 2016 at 3:21 PMThis lemon loaf is amazing. I baked the recipe into 3 mini loaves and added some fresh raspberries. They were devoured.
Making this recipe again very soon.
[email protected]
January 31, 2016 at 4:40 PMThat makes me very happy! This recipe is a favourite of mine too!
Maria
February 5, 2016 at 9:02 AMI LOVE lemon!! I can’t wait to make this!
Lynda
February 7, 2016 at 11:38 AMHello Jo-Anna
I made this Lemon Loaf, just delicious!!
The only thing I did that was different was lining the pan with wax paper, I didn’t get a smooth outer surface. Should I have buttered the pan first instead?
Thank you,
Lynda
Gayle
June 30, 2016 at 8:20 AMI would like to see some recipes with no sugar!
[email protected]
June 30, 2016 at 10:27 AMHi Gayle,
Thank you for reaching out. Maybe my blog isn’t the right fit for you? I don’t publish recipes with any avoidance of any particular ingredients (such as sugar or allergens). There are many blogs available that share recipes with no sugar, so perhaps those are better suited for what you are looking for.
Regards,
Jo-Anna
JoAnn Rogers
November 1, 2016 at 1:48 PMJo-Anna–This is delicious! I’ve made it several times, and it’s always a hit!
[email protected]
November 2, 2016 at 1:45 PMOh I love to hear that! It’s a hit here too! 🙂
Dianne
April 12, 2017 at 5:22 PMHi,
This is baking right now. I’m unclear about when I take the loaf out of the pan–before or after glazing?
Dianne
April 12, 2017 at 5:23 PMP.S I didn’t mean “glazing” exactly I mean before or after pouring the sugar and lemon combo on the cake. Thanks
[email protected]
April 14, 2017 at 3:58 PMSorry I missed your question! I prefer to remove my loaf after I have added the glaze, only because adding the glaze can be quite messy. And the pan helps the loaf soak the glaze into the cake.
Diana
July 7, 2020 at 11:17 PMSorry but is the melted butter, soft butter or cold butter?
Jo-Anna Rooney
July 8, 2020 at 4:06 PMHi Diana! It’s soft butter. Happy baking!
Dianne
April 14, 2017 at 4:58 PMThanks for replying! I did pour the lemon-sugar combo over the loaf in the pan. It worked well but I had a problem removing the bread from the pan –it was so moist it broke in half–not a problem, I’ll just serve it in slices tomorrow.
It’s a lovely bread.
Kamrin
August 1, 2018 at 1:32 PMLoved this!! I’ve made it twice now! So simple and so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe ?
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
August 12, 2018 at 11:47 AMHi Kamrin! I’m so happy you enjoyed this cake recipe!
★★★★★
vanessa
February 10, 2019 at 7:11 PMI baked this last week- my kids loved a slice each day in their lunch boxes.
★★★★★
Katy
January 3, 2020 at 11:41 PMOh my goodness this was simple and just delicious.
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
January 4, 2020 at 12:15 PMOh I love that!!
Dany
April 4, 2020 at 4:22 PMHi there. I’m wondering if You think I could substitute with almond flour ?
Jo-Anna Rooney
April 4, 2020 at 10:11 PMHi Dany! No, almond flour will not work…I’ve baked with almond flour before and it’s just not easily substituted.
Greta
April 9, 2020 at 3:04 PMThe very best amazing lemon loaf, and easy to make. Love this recipe. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Stephanie
April 21, 2020 at 9:49 AMMade this and it was absolutely perfect, thank you!
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
April 21, 2020 at 12:16 PMI love that!!
Susan
August 15, 2020 at 12:51 PMI misplaced my favourite recipe and gave your recipe a try. It was delicious!
Subsequently found my recipe (from a dear Calgary friend also) and it’s the same! 😂
No wonder liked it so much. ❤️
Jo-Anna Rooney
August 15, 2020 at 7:34 PMI’m so happy you enjoyed it Susan!!
Polly
August 30, 2020 at 11:24 PMI just made this, and it is perfection. Thank you so much!!!
I didn’t have a mixer, so I mixed everything by hand, and I didn’t have waxed paper so I buttered the loaf pan, and I didn’t have a zester, so I used a cheese grater on the lemon peel, and despite my improv, I am bubbling with joy about the outcome! It’s so good <3
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
August 31, 2020 at 10:13 AMOh that is wonderful to hear Polly! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Jimmy
September 8, 2020 at 8:30 PMGreat dessert after a nice family meal
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
September 9, 2020 at 8:10 AMI’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Beryl
September 20, 2020 at 8:49 PMFor freezing this loaf, do you recommend adding the glaze before I freeze it? Or will come out weird when it unfreezes?
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
September 21, 2020 at 10:14 AMHi! That’s a good question…I’ve never frozen this loaf before, but if I did, I would freeze it without the glaze then add it once it’s de-thawed.
Chelsea
November 24, 2020 at 9:55 PMThis is the best lemon loaf I have ever had. I followed the recipe exact but at the end of cooking (60 mins) I only put half the glaze on. This is so moist and I am having with tea as I write this.
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
November 25, 2020 at 9:58 AMI’m so happy you enjoyed it Chelsea!
Karens
December 10, 2020 at 8:04 PMI have never searched for a recipe that I loved enough to rate! This is the most wonderful lemon bread I have ever tasted! Definitely make it again and again!
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
December 11, 2020 at 11:55 AMI’m so happy to hear that Karen!
Rachel
December 10, 2020 at 8:21 PMThank you for the recipe, it is exactly the best lemon bread I’ve ever made!
I followed your very clear & helpful instructions, the result was delicious. I like that it really does taste of lemons & it’s not overly sweet.
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
December 11, 2020 at 11:56 AMI’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Rachel! And I agree, it’s delicious!
Julia
February 3, 2021 at 7:49 PMWe’ve made this now 3 times and it comes out perfect each time. It’s a new favourite recipe! Thanks for sharing
★★★★★
Maryanne Hernandez
April 5, 2021 at 3:14 AMHi, i’m new in baking. Can i use oil instead of butter? and what is the ratio of ever. Thanks.
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
April 6, 2021 at 9:52 AMHi Maryanne! Theoretically you can substitute butter for oil at a 1:1 ratio. BUT I have never done so for this recipe, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out.
Farah
April 8, 2021 at 8:07 PMBy far one of the best recipes! I have made this so many times for my family. The best part about this recipe is less eggs!
★★★★★
Jo-Anna Rooney
April 9, 2021 at 9:32 AMI’m so happy you and your family enjoyed it!
Dani
April 15, 2021 at 12:28 PMHi! Can you please provide how much 1 lemon zested ((just the lemon zest)) and 1 lemon juiced ((just the lemon juice)) in measurements we need to use? Lemons come in all shapes and sizes. Thank you!
Jo-Anna Rooney
April 15, 2021 at 12:38 PMThis recipe uses 1 medium lemon, so 1 medium lemon = approximately 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp lemon zest