Lemon Loaf with Tangy Lemon Icing (2024)

Published: Sep 13, 2020 · Modified: Apr 9, 2023 by Chloe · Leave a Comment

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If you love lemon-flavored treats, then this Lemon Loaf with Tangy Lemon Icing will give you spot-on lemon goodness in every bite! Moist and fluffy loaf bread covered with citrusy icing will provide you with that double dose of lemony bliss you crave for. It is a fuss-free treat that only needs one bowl and does not require the use of an electric mixer! Just combine and whisk.

Homemade Lemon Loaf with Tangy Lemon icing

When life gives you lemons, make a beautiful lemon loaf out of them! It is quite easy to do too! It will only take 25 minutes to make the batter and the homemade lemon icing, then wait for the oven to do its magic. You will enjoy a loaf of bread with moist and soft crumbs topped with lemon icing for an extra tangy kick.

And the best thing about making it yourself is you get to make it as sweet or zesty as you like it to be! Enjoy them as light and refreshing afternoon snacks paired with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee. You can bake it in a bundt pan to make it fancy enough for dessert! If you are looking for more lemony treats, you can also try my Lemon and Coconut Bars and Lemon Coconut Slices.

What Do I Need?

For the Lemon Loaf:

Dry Ingredients:

Plain Flour: or all-purpose flour.
- Can I make this gluten-free? Sure, replace the plain flour with your choice of gluten-free flour brand in a 1:1 ratio.
- Can I use self-rising flour? Yes, you can for the same amount, but omit the baking powder in this recipe.
Baking powder: will make the batter rise as it bakes.
Salt: A pinch of salt goes a long way and will bring out the lemony flavour of the loaf.
Caster Sugar / superfine sugar: It adds structure and gives a richer taste to the batter.
- Can I use granulated sugar? It's okay, although it's coarser and will take a bit longer to dissolve into the batter. It will still give the same level of moisture and sweetness, just like the caster sugar

Wet Ingredients

Milk + Vinegar: mixed together to make homemade buttermilk. It will make the loaf softer and fluffier.
- Can I use non-dairy milk? – Sure, you can. Try using almond, oat, and soy as they are best for baking.
- Can I use lemon juice instead? Absolutely, fresh or bottled lemon juice is a great substitute for white vinegar.
Lemons: You will need both lemon juice and lemon zest to give this recipe a tangy kick.
- Can I use bottled lemon juice? Though fresh lemon juice is preferred, you can use bottled juice in a pinch.
Canola Oil: I love using this oil for baking because of its neutral taste, and it keeps the loaf moist and fresh longer.
- Can I use other oils? Any type of neutral-tasting oil like grapeseed and corn oil is alright. I recommend not using olive oil as it will change the flavour of our lemon loaf.
Eggs: will give structure to the batter by binding all the ingredients together. Using room-temperature eggs will provide the best result when baking this loaf. It also gives a slight yellow tinge to the batter resulting in a rich-coloured loaf.
- Is there any vegan substitute? You can use applesauce or flax egg instead. To substitute, use ¼ cup of applesauce per 1 egg.

For the Lemon icing:

Icing Sugar / Powdered sugar: powdered sugar will dissolve easily into the lemon juice. If you don't have it, make powdered sugar by blending regular granulated sugar in a high-speed blender until it becomes a fine powder.
- Can I use other types of sugar? I don't recommend using different kinds of sugar because they don't have the structure and creaminess of the glaze that you can only achieve by using powdered sugar.
Lemon juice: gives the icing a tangy taste that blends well with the sweetness of the sugar. Use just enough to make a thick but pourable consistency.

How to Make Lemon Loaf and Lemon Icing

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F (fan/convection) or 180°C / 355°F (standard).
Grease and line a 13 x 28 cm (5 x 11 inch) loaf tin with baking paper. Leave at least 3 cm of overhanging paper to allow for easy removal of the loaf.

Steps for the Lemon Loaf:

Whisk together milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens before whisking in lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, sugar, and eggs.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk everything together until well combined.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 55-65 minutes or until golden. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring the loaf into a wire rack to completely cool.

Steps for the Lemon icing:

In a medium bowl, sift icing sugar then whisk in 2 tbsps of lemon juice. Mix until it is thick and spreadable.
Spread icing on top of cooled cake and let it set for 20 minutes before slicing.

Tips When Making Lemon Loaf

All ingredients should be at room temperature for easy preparation of the batter and icing.
You can use lemon extract if you want a more intense lemon flavor. However, too much extract will result in a 'fake" tasting lemon flavor, so be careful when using it.
Do not overmix the batter, just enough until no dry ingredients are visible. An overmixed batter will result in a dry and tough after baking.
If the top of the loaf is getting too brown during baking, cover it with foil until the loaf is thoroughly baked.
To check if the loaf is done, insert a toothpick or skewer in the middle of the cake. It's done if the skewer comes out clean. The loaf will be quite flat which is expected, so do not worry about it.
If your icing is too thick, just add more lemon juice until you get the right consistency. You can also use other types of citrus juice like lime or orange for variety.
You can also make this recipe in a bundt pan. Just make sure to generously grease your bundt pan for easy removal of the loaf.

Storage and Freezing

You can keep the Iced Lemon loaf stored un-refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep the Lemon Loaf in the freezer for up to 6 months. Place the frosted lemon loaf on a sheet pan and freeze for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, wrap the loaf with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, then put it in an airtight freezer container. If your loaf is unfrosted, just wrap it up before tossing it into the freezer.

Have you made this recipe?

If you have made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a review below or share your photo on Instagram and tag me @bakingenvy

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