Today’s Starbucks Lemon Loaf recipe is soft, moist, and full of delicious lemon flavor, just like the one you grab at the coffee shop. We think it’s the perfect cross between a quick bread and a cake and no matter who tries it, they LOVE it.
What we love most about this recipe, is that it’s one of those recipes that’s easy to make at home and always turns out so good. After several attempts of perfecting this recipe, we’ve finally achieved that perfect texture and flavor. It’s sweet, a little tangy, and topped with a smooth lemon frosting that makes it quite addicting.
If you loved this, try Lemon Blueberry Bread, Lemon Bars, or Pound Cake. These are all recipes we make on repeat!
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Bakery Style at Home. You can make this delicious lemon loaf recipe right at home, and it will taste EVEN BETTER than Starbucks!
- Perfect Lemon Flavor. Just the right mix of sweet and tangy.
- Pudding Mix Boost. Adds moisture and enhances the lemon flavor. There is something about that delicious, moist cake that keeps us all coming back for more.
- Oil and Yogurt Combo. Keeps the loaf soft and rich.
Starbucks Lemon Loaf Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour (1 ½ cups): Provides structure for the loaf while keeping it soft.
- Instant Lemon Pudding Mix (1 box, 3.4-ounce): Adds extra moisture and boosts the lemon flavor.
- Baking Powder (½ teaspoon): Helps the loaf rise and stay light.
- Baking Soda (½ teaspoon): Works with the acidic ingredients to create a tender texture.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Enhances all the flavors in the loaf.
- Eggs (3): Adds structure and richness while helping bind everything together.
- Granulated Sugar (1 cup): Sweetens the loaf and keeps it moist.
- Butter (2 tablespoons, softened): Adds flavor and a little richness.
- Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon): Balances and enhances the lemon flavor.
- Lemon Extract (2 teaspoons): Gives a strong lemon flavor similar to the coffee shop version.
- Fresh Lemon Juice (⅓ cup): Adds natural citrus flavor and moisture. Use about 3 medium-sized lemons to produce enough juice to use in this recipe. (A medium-sized lemon can produce 2-3 tablespoons of juice).
- Vegetable Oil (½ cup): Keeps the loaf extra moist and soft.
- Plain Greek Yogurt (¾ cup): Adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb.
- Lemon Zest (from 1 lemon): Adds bright, fresh lemon flavor. The peel of one of the lemons can be used to produce 1 tablespoon of zest. Using a citrus zester is the easiest, but you can also use the small side of a cheese grater.
- Butter (3 tablespoons, soft): Forms the base of the frosting and adds richness.
- Powdered Sugar (1 ½ cup): Sweetens and thickens the glaze.
- Lemon Juice (3 tablespoons): Adds tangy flavor to the frosting.
- Lemon Extract (1 teaspoon): Boosts the lemon flavor in the glaze.
How to Make Starbucks Lemon Loaf
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 5 x 9″ loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. (With a pencil, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut it out with scissors.)
Spray the pan and parchment paper with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
DRY INGREDIENTS. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
WET INGREDIENTS. With a stand or hand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil, and yogurt. Mix until evenly combined.
COMBINE. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon zest, and mix until just combined.
BAKE. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until the center is fully set, and a toothpick inserted comes out crumb free.
COOL. After baking, let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, invert and remove from the pan, removing the parchment paper from the bottom. Let the cake finish cooling on a wire rack
FROSTING. Combine the butter, lemon juice, and lemon extract with a hand or stand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth and creamy.
Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf. Refrigerate to let the frosting set completely before slicing. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overmix Batter: Mix just until combined to keep the loaf soft.
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh makes a big difference in flavor.
- Cool Before Frosting: This keeps the glaze from melting.
- Line Your Pan: Makes removing the loaf easier.
- Lemon Pudding: If you can’t find lemon pudding, order it on Amazon or use vanilla pudding and add extra lemon extract.
- Don’t Over Bake: If the outside browns before the inside is done, cover loosely with foil, lower the oven by 25°, keep the pan centered, or use a rose nail for even baking.
- Grainy Icing: Use quality powdered sugar and sift it, make sure there’s enough butter, use room temperature butter, and add sugar slowly while mixing well.
- Toppings: Drizzle with a lemon glaze. Simply dust with powdered sugar. Add a dollop of Whipped Cream and strawberries to each slice.
Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant lemon pudding mix
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- zest of 1 lemon
Frosting
- 3 tablespoons butter, soft but not melted
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 5 x 9" loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. (With a pencil, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut it out with scissors.) Spray the pan and parchment paper with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
- n a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a stand or hand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil, and yogurt. Mix until evenly combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon zest, and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until the center is fully set, and a toothpick inserted comes out crumb free.
- After baking, let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, invert and remove from the pan, removing the parchment paper from the bottom. Let the cake finish cooling on a wire rack
- For frosting. Combine the butter, lemon juice, and lemon extract with a hand or stand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth and creamy. Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf. Refrigerate to let the frosting set completely before slicing. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix Batter: Mix just until combined to keep the loaf soft.
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Fresh makes a big difference in flavor.
- Cool Before Frosting: This keeps the glaze from melting.
- Line Your Pan: Makes removing the loaf easier.
- Lemon Pudding: If you can’t find lemon pudding, order it on Amazon or use vanilla pudding and add extra lemon extract.
- Don’t Over Bake: If the outside browns before the inside is done, cover loosely with foil, lower the oven by 25°, keep the pan centered, or use a rose nail for even baking.
- Grainy Icing: Use quality powdered sugar and sift it, make sure there’s enough butter, use room temperature butter, and add sugar slowly while mixing well.
- Toppings: Drizzle with a lemon glaze. Simply dust with powdered sugar. Add a dollop of Whipped Cream and strawberries to each slice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Lemon Loaf can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To freeze it without the frosting, allow the cake to completely cool, wrap the loaf with plastic wrap, then again with aluminum foil.
To freeze with frosting, flash freeze first by placing the cake (whole or sliced) on a baking sheet. Freeze for 2-3 hours, then wrap. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.
More Like This
Quick Breads
Collections
Thanks, Erin! For more great recipes from her, be sure to go to Delightful E Made.
This recipe was first shared April, 2015.
First time poster here. But I’m such a big believer in giving credit where it’s due. I’ve made this recipe twice now. It is absolutely AMAZING!! It is pretty lemony and it gets a little less so the second day. But it was excellent and now my family is requesting it on special occasions. In fact, they agree that this version is FAR better than Starbucks! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Happy to hear your family loves it!! Thanks so much for sharing!
I made this and it came out horribly soggy and egg-y in the middle. I stopped in the middle of cooking to make sure I had instant lemon pudding (those of you looking–Jell-o makes it, and it costs more) after almost using cook-and-serve, but this still came out soggy in the middle after at least an hour and ten minutes at 350.
To be fair, I used sour cream over Greek yogurt. I also subbed a quarter cup of butter for oil (then added oil to come to 1/2 cup fat) but if anything I worried this would come out drier subbing butter for corn oil. Didn’t add the additional 2 Tbsp butter because I forgot but something tells me it would have come out even worse.
What am I missing?
I would suggest trying the recipe with the ingredients as listed and not substituting. I made it and it came out perfect.
Any substitue for lemon pudding . We dont have it where i live only vanilla egg pudding ????sorry for weird request
This cake is amazing – I had problems with the top cracking and used a #7 Wilton flower nail which helped. But I also made it in my Zoirushi 2lb Breadmaker and it came out perfectly! As far as the Jello Instant Lemon Pudding – it does not exist in any store, however I found it online and shared the links below. I did try Jello Vanilla Instant pudding which worked and used more of the lemon juice in the cake.
I love this recipe and thanks so much for sharing it!
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Jell-O-Flavor-Instant-Pudding-Filling/dp/B00CK8TWIQ?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
or on Soap.com https://www.soap.com/p/jell-o-instant-pudding-lemon-3-4-oz-4-pk-1213748?sku=KFT-1328B&qid=2918185104&sr=1-2
Thanks for posting those links! Vanilla is a great substitution, then adding more lemon juice:) Thanks so much for sharing…so happy you like it!
I made this and LOVED this! The lemon loaf came out perfectly, even better than Starbucks!! I don’t know what I did wrong with the frosting but it came out runny and “curdled”. I did soften the butter in the microwave so maybe that was it? I made it after I made the cake so it sat for an hour and a half or so as the cake cooled, maybe that was it? It still tasted great, but I couldn’t seem to make it creamy. Ideas?? Will definitely be making this again!!
Hi Michelle – I had the same problem at first. But butter needs to be soft by letting it sit out at room temp for a few minutes. It needs to be pliable not too soft or runny. Definitely no microwave. After I mix the icing I put it in the refrigerator for about 10-15 mins so that it is spreadable and not pourable. Make sure your cake is COMPLETELY cooled. Ice the cake and put it in the refrigerator to set the icing completely. I then cut it into individual slices and cover each slice with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator until I serve it. I personally love it cold, but a lot of people like it at room temperature. In any event, this is what worked for me! Everyone raves about the icing and the moistness of the cake! I can’t even eat the one at Starbucks anymore!
I had the same problem with the frosting being super runny. I followed the measurements exactly and the butter was room tempature. The cake part is great! Top did not split.
We found instant lemon at Walmart. Maybe a seasonal product? We are making it for 4H project right now. Will post what ribbon she gets.
Thanks Dawn! I’d love to know!!
What settings did you use on your bread machine? I have the same machine and I would like to try using this recipe! Thanks for your help.
I made this today and it didn’t disappoint! It has sunk a bit and cracked in the middle but that’s just cosmetic issues and after covered with frosting you can’t see the imperfections. Thank you for sharing the recipe. A keeper for sure!
Hie there! Which flour do l use for the cake, all-purpose flour, cake flour or self raising flour
Just made this yummy looking recipe. Not sure what happened but it came out dense, not light and airy, like cake. Disappointed 🙁
Wow! I made this recipe today and it was absolutely WONDERFUL! I love Starbucks’ version already and this is definitely better. My only change I had to do was put in a single-serve lemon flavored Greek yogurt because the store I was at didn’t have any plain ones. It did the trick and it was really, REALLY good! Thank you so much for a fantastic recipe.
The best! This recipe is exactly what I was looking for. Everyone loved it. Definitely no need to change anything.
Thank you!
Nice recipe! But is there anything I can use to substitute the instant pudding mix? Like cornstarch? Or can I leave it out?
You can substitute the Instant Pudding (and it’d be healthier to do so if you just take a look at the ingredients of the instant pudding) with 40g of cornstarch, 50g of sugar and a tsp. (or more; just take in consideration you have to give lemon flavoring to 2 cups of milk/water) of lemon extract/lemon zest/lemon juice.
Re: Starbucks Lemon Loaf
In the ingredients list of recipe for lemon juice is just show a square with cup next to it. Could you please tell me how much lemon juice to use.
Thank You.
1/3 cup