Starbucks Lemon Loaf

If you like the Starbucks lemon loaf, then you will love this copycat version. This bread is moist, yet light and topped off with a sweet lemon glaze.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 170°C. Line a 25x15 cm loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and rub them together until the sugar is fragrant and the lemon oils coat the sugar crystals. Add butter and mix together at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla extract, lemon juice and buttermilk until well blended.

Step 3

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture and start to fold it in gently. Mix in remaining flour until evenly combined. Do not over-mix.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack and let the cake cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.

Step 5

Stir together the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar for the lemon syrup. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack, then brush the syrup on the cake while it’s still warm. Allow cake to cool completely.

Step 6

For the icing, combine icing sugar, lemon juice and milk in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. It should be thick and opaque white, but still flowing. Resist adding too much more liquid because otherwise you won’t get a nice thick icing that sets up firm on the cake. If it is too runny, it will be just a glaze. Pour the icing over the loaf, spread it out to drip over the edges a bit and then let it set until the icing dries out. Slice and serve!