Starbucks Lemon Loaf Copycat
This Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe will solve all of your cravings — and you can enjoy as many slices as you want at a fraction of the price!
Ingredients
- 6.5 ounces all-purpose flour about 1 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1/2 cup or 1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest about 2 medium lemons, zested
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
LEMON GLAZE
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN AND PREP PAN: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (about 10 minutes). Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom and long sides with a sling of parchment paper. The parchment lets you lift the cooled loaf out cleanly later.
- WHISK THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a medium bowl, whisk together 6.5 ounces all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder for about 30 seconds until evenly blended. Set aside.
- CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should turn pale yellow, look fluffy, and triple in volume. This step builds the structure that gives the loaf its tender crumb.
- BEAT IN THE EGGS: Add 3 large eggs room-temperature one at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition until the batter looks smooth and the egg is fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl between eggs so nothing hides at the bottom.
- STIR IN LEMON AND VANILLA: Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. The aroma jumps the moment the zest hits the warm batter.
- FOLD IN FLOUR AND SOUR CREAM: Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream in two additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Fold gently with a spatula after each addition for about 10 seconds. Stop the moment no flour streaks remain. The batter should look thick, glossy, and a little lumpy.
- POUR AND BAKE: Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake on the center rack for 45 to 55 minutes. The loaf is ready when the top is golden, a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, and the kitchen fills with a warm lemon-vanilla aroma.
- COOL IN THE PAN: Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift the loaf out using the parchment sling and transfer to the rack to cool for another 20 minutes.
- MAKE THE GLAZE: While the loaf cools, whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon whole milk, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl for about 1 minute. The glaze should be smooth, opaque white, and thick enough to ribbon off the whisk and hold a line for 2 seconds before melting back in.
- GLAZE AND SET: Set the wire rack with the warm (not hot) loaf over a rimmed baking sheet or parchment paper to catch drips. Spoon the glaze over the top, letting it cascade down the sides. Let the loaf rest 30 minutes for the glaze to set into a soft, opaque shell. Slice and serve.
Notes
MAKE-AHEAD: Bake the loaf up to 1 day ahead, cool completely, and wrap tightly. Add the glaze the morning you plan to serve so it stays fresh and bright. The unglazed loaf actually tastes even better on day 2 as the flavors deepen.
STORAGE: Store the glazed loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days at peak quality, safe to 4 days. Refrigerating dries it out, so keep it on the counter unless your kitchen runs above 75 degrees F.
FREEZING: Freeze the UNGLAZED loaf, wrapped in plastic and then foil, for up to 3 months at peak quality, safe to 6 months in a deep freezer. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours, then glaze. The glaze does not freeze well.
ROOM-TEMP BUTTER AND EGGS: Soft butter creams properly and traps air, which is what makes the loaf tender. Cold butter creams into hard chunks instead and leaves the loaf dense. Eggs at room temperature mix in without seizing the batter. If you forgot to set them out, drop the eggs (in shell) in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and cut the butter into small cubes for faster softening.
LEMON FLAVOR: The zest carries 90 percent of the lemon flavor. The juice is for brightness. For a stronger lemon punch, add another tablespoon of zest to the batter and a teaspoon more juice to the glaze. For a mellower loaf, stick with the recipe as written.
SOUR CREAM SUBSTITUTE: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt subs 1-to-1 for the sour cream. The crumb stays just as moist with a slightly tangier finish. Skip lower-fat versions.
WATCH THE BAKE TIME: Ovens vary. Start checking at 45 minutes with a wooden skewer in the center. The loaf is done when crumbs cling but no wet batter shows. Pulling 2 minutes early is better than 2 minutes late. The loaf keeps cooking from carry-over heat in the pan.
GLAZE THE LOAF WHEN WARM, NOT HOT: A still-warm loaf lets the glaze melt into the top crust and create a soft sticky layer. Hot loaf melts the glaze too thin so it all runs off. Cold loaf gets a glaze that sits on top instead of soaking in. Warm is the sweet spot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 341cal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 178mg | Sugar: 37g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg