This Super Moist Lemon Loaf Cake is soft, fluffy, bright, citrusy, and topped with a sweet cream cheese glaze. If you love bakery-style lemon loaf cakes like the famous Starbucks lemon loaf, this easy homemade version is going to become your new favorite dessert!
Why This Recipe Is The Best
This Super Moist Lemon Loaf Cake is a standout recipe for its incredible moistness, bright lemon flavor, and simplicity. Made with fresh lemon juice, option to top with fresh lemon zest, pantry staples, and easily adaptable to be gluten-free, this loaf delivers a fluffy, tender crumb and a tangy-sweet glaze that’s irresistible. Perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike, it’s quick to make, versatile, and loved by the community for its unbeatable taste and texture. You can make a gluten-free lemon loaf cake by using one of the recommended gluten-free flours listed below.
Moist Lemon Loaf Ingredients
- Milk: To make this lemon cake vegan, we use almond or oat milk. If you are not vegan, feel free to use regular milk in this lemon cake recipe.
- Sugar: To sweeten the lemon cake batter, we use organic cane sugar. You can also use regular white table sugar.
- Lemon Juice: To give this lemon loaf a light lemon flavor, use lemon juice from the bottle or option to use freshly squeezed lemon juice to enhance the lemon flavor!
- Butter: To make the lemon cake vegan, we use vegan butter in this recipe. If you are not vegan, you can use regular butter. Coconut oil is also a great substitution in this vegan lemon loaf recipe.
- Vanilla: For additional flavor.
- Baking Powder: The baking powder helps the lemon cake get super light and fluffy.
- Lemon Extract: Add a tiny bit of lemon extract to enhance the lemon flavor. The lemon juice already adds a nice light lemon flavor so the extract is optional and can be used if you want a stronger lemon flavor. We recommend half a teaspoon. Alternatively, you may add some fresh lemon zest for stronger citrus flavor.
- Baking Soda: The baking soda helps the lemon cake rise.
- Flour: To make this lemon loaf, we use regular all purpose flour. If you would like to make it gluten-free as well, simply use gluten-free all purpose flour in this recipe. I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure or Cup4Cup (be careful, this flour has a small amount of milk powder in it so if you are dairy-free, I would advise using the other gluten-free flour recommendation).
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Use cream cheese, softened butter, and powdered sugar for the cheese cream frosting. Regular or vegan butter and cream cheese will work. You can simply whisk these ingredients together or use a hand mixer for a perfect, silky frosting!
How To Make Vegan Lemon Loaf
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a metal cake pan or loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.
Step 2: To make the lemon loaf cake batter, mix the almond milk, lemon juice, melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract (if using) baking powder, and baking soda together. The vegan cake batter will begin to foam. This is ok, quickly add the regular or gluten-free flour into the bowl.
Step 3: Mix until a smooth cake batter is formed. Be careful not to over-mix. Transfer the lemon cake batter into the greased cake pan or loaf pan and bake for either 40 minutes for a loaf or 25-30 for a round cake. Depending on your oven, times may vary.
How To Make Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: Add softened vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Use an electric hand mixer to blend until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Allow the lemon loaf to cool for a few minutes before drizzling or spreading the frosting over the warm lemon loaf.
How To Store Vegan Lemon Cake
If making this vegan lemon cake in advance, wrap it in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container such as a on a cake platter with a lid, at room temperature, until ready to serve. If wrapping in plastic, wait until you're ready to serve before frosting.
Expert Tips
- If Using Lemon Extract: For more lemon flavor, you can add lemon extract to the cake batter. A little bit of lemon extract goes a long way so please use sparingly. We recommend half a teaspoon.
- If Using Lemon Zest: Choose between lemon extract or lemon zest. You want the lemon flavor to be bright yet subtle, not overpowering. I would recommend about 2 teaspoons of lemon zest (or the zest of one lemon).
- Foaming Cake Batter: Yes, your cake batter will foam. No worries, once you mix in your regular or gluten-free all purpose flour, it will stop. The foaming is the reaction of the lemon juice, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. It is what makes this lemon loaf super fluffy.
- Softening Butter: I find the easiest way to soften butter for the frosting is to simply place it onto the counter for about an hour before baking. Or, on top of a warm oven for 3-5 minutes if you're in a hurry.
- Metal Cake Pans: Use a metal loaf or cake pan in this recipe if you can. They conduct heat more evenly than glass or ceramic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I recommend baking the lemon cake and allowing it to cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. Store the icing separately or make it fresh before serving the cake.
Yes! Use gluten-free all purpose flour in place of regular all purpose flour in this recipe. I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure for best results!
Lemon and vanilla are two flavors that compliment each other very well!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Loaf Cake
- Super soft and moist texture (impresses everyone)
- Bright bakery-style lemon flavor (perfect for spring and summer)
- Easy one bowl recipe
- Vegan and gluten-free friendly
- Perfect for brunch, dessert, or coffee breaks
- Topped with sweet cream cheese icing
More Vegan Loaf Recipes
If you loved my super moist vegan lemon loaf, you'll have to try these other vegan lemon recipes!
- Blueberry Lemon Loaf
- Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
- Lemon Cookies
- Baked Lemon Donuts
- Moist Lemon Cupcakes
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Super Moist Lemon Loaf
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Metal Loaf Pan or Cake Pan
- Non-Stick Baking Spray
- Electric Hand-Mixer
Ingredients
Vegan Lemon Loaf
- 1 cup milk regular or plant-based
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup melted butter regular or plant-based
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract option to add for extra lemon flavor
- 2 cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup softened butter regular or plant-based
- 4 oz vegan cream cheese regular or plant-based
Instructions
How To Make This Lemon Loaf
- Preheat oven to 375. Grease a metal loaf or cake pan with non-stick spray.
- Mix (by hand) the milk, sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, and vanilla. Option to add lemon extract or zest for a bolder lemon flavor. Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix. The mixture will begin to bubble, this is ok. Quickly add the flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. You may also use a round cake pan and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- While the lemon cake is baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix the vegan cream cheese icing ingredients and spread over the warm or cooled loaf. Enjoy immediately .. trust me - it's good warm!
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
Kathryn says
Okay, I've made this recipe multiple times and we love it but I have a couple tweaks! I've tried using coconut oil or half coconut oil and half butter and you should definitely just use all butter. It's still good with the coconut oil but not as fluffy. I make the gf version and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 is great. In one of her comments she says she uses the lemon juice from a container not fresh lemons, so if you're using fresh lemons and want it extra lemony do a 1/2 cup lemon juice AND the zest of one whole lemon otherwise the bread isn't that lemony. Definitely make sure to add the baking soda to the liquid mixture prior to any flour! The baking soda should fizz and activate from the acidity of the lemon juice and if it doesn't your baking soda is no good. I also use a basic lemon glaze instead of the cream cheese frosting (my husband doesn't like cream cheese frosting) which consists of 2/3 cup powdered sugar and just enough lemon juice to make it mix well - usually 3 to 4 teaspoons.
It's a fantastic recipe!
JillianGlenn says
Your variations sound lovely! Glad you have enjoyed the recipe and made it your own 🙂
Kathryn says
Okay, I’m still making this regularly. I have small kids so I’ve been putting this in muffin form instead of loaf (it’s easier for them to eat) and it’s amazing!! And it takes less time to cook. I still glaze it too!
Raegan says
I’m looking to make this recipe, but I was curious as to how I should store it. Should I keep it in the fridge or is it good to stay on the counter?
JillianGlenn says
I leave mine on the counter for 2-3 days, but it is usually eaten before then!
Kasha Tyranski says
i love this recipe!! so yummy 🙂 a couple of tweaks that i use are:
using a bunch of lemon zest
more sugar (but i have a crazy sweet tooth)
adding some strawberries (cut them up, add to a saucepan with some sugar for a bit, then add to the loaf)
but all in all this is such a good recipe!
JillianGlenn says
Thanks for trying my recipe! Your tweaks sound tasty!
Renata says
Besides coconut oil, can I substitute vegan butter with plain Greek yogurt?
JillianGlenn says
Worth a try! Let me know how it works out for you!
Jasmine Bates says
Hi instead of stevia could I just use regular sugar?
JillianGlenn says
Hi Jasmine, the stevia is simply an option. The "regular" version of the recipe uses 1 full cup of sugar.
Andri Theologou says
Hi just made this. It turned out amazing. Instead of sugar I used sukrin sweetener which is a sweetener that measures just like sugar( it is made of stevia and Erythritol) and used half the cocunat oil and the other half I sub. with greek yogurt(2% fat). It turned out really good and with so much less calories.
JillianGlenn says
Hi Andi! Love you swaps!! It sounds amazing. Thanks for trying my recipe!
Caroline Myers says
Hi Andri
Did you use the coconut oil and Greek yogurt in place of the vegan butter?
Jillian says
Hi Caroline, I have tried coconut oil in this recipe and it's delicious! I have never tried greek yogurt but I would imagine it will work!
Clementine says
Hello!
I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite a while now, and have finally decided to make it for my mother's birthday! However, I was wondering if using a bundt-cake mold would work with the consistency of the cake, or if you recommend I stick to a regular rectangular mold.
Thank you in advance!
Jillian Glenn says
Hi there! I'm so happy that you plan to make this for your mother's birthday! I've made this in a bundt cake form and it works wonderfully!
clementine says
That's amazing! Thank you for your reply! 🙂
Nora says
hi! it’s difficult to find vegan and gluten free items where i live, so would the typical recipe be the same as this one?
Jillian Glenn says
You can use any butter or oil in place of the vegan butter 🙂
Rachel says
I tried this tonight. I appreciated the moist bread but I wish it had more lemony flavor. I think we will zest a lemon and add to it, as well If we make it again, as well as make the frosting with lemon flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Rachel! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. It's a light lemony flavor but I'm sure would be delicious with a little lemon zest or lemon extract added in!
Molly says
Sorry if a stupid question but looking to make this and when you say 1/4 cup melted vegan butter does that mean 1/4 cup of the butter and then melt it, or 1/4 is the melted amount? If the latter, how do you know how much “hard” butter that is?
Jillian Glenn says
You can do either. Measurements are the same whether it's melted or solid.
Arianna Pochet says
I can’t wait to try this! Could I use maple syrup or coconut sugar?
Jillian Glenn says
I think maple syrup or coconut sugar will work great 🙂
Stacy says
We have an almond allergy in our house...is there another dairy-free milk you have used that works as well?
Jillian Glenn says
Oat milk works well in this recipe 🙂
Sarah says
Hi Jilian! I made this recipe and the middle parts turned out great and deliciously moist, but the crust cooked way faster and came out hard and super chewy. I'll try cooking it for a shorter amount of time next time, but do you have any recommendations to avoid this? Thank you 🙂
Sarah says
Sorry, by cook I mean bake of course 😉
Jillian Glenn says
Hi there! Perhaps try cooking on a lower temperature next time or covering your pan with foil once the outside begins to brown!
Kelli says
I can't wait to try this. Is there a brand of vegan cream cheese you would recommend
Jillian says
I love Miyokos or Kite Hill!
Lori says
hi can i use vegan margarine instead of butter ???
Jillian Glenn says
Absolutely!
Kahlua says
Hi! I’m a huge huge fan of yours! I follow almost every recipe you post. I’m planning on making this one but i ran out of glutten free flour. Could I sub almond flour instead? 🙂
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Kahlua! So happy you have enjoyed my recipes!! Thank you! For this recipe to work, you will want to use the recommended flour 🙂 Almond flour isn't a 1:1 substitute for regular or gluten free all purpose flour.
Christina says
Hi! How many grams is a cup?
Jillian says
I believe it is 125g!
Liv C says
This is my favorite lemon loaf recipe of all time. I often do not make it vegan but it is simple and always comes out right, I have shared it with many friends and it is at the top of my bookmarks! Thanks!
Jillian says
Thank you for the feedback, Liv! So happy you and your friends have enjoyed it!
Allie says
Hi! Do you happen to know if I could make this a day ahead? I’m looking to bring it to Easter brunch this weekend but id like to make it Saturday and leave the frosting off. Any suggestions? Thank you!!
Jillian says
Hi Allie, thank you so much for choosing my recipe to bring to Easter Brunch. I'm certain it will be a hit! You can store this, wrapped in plastic, at room temp - overnight and frost before serving! Sometimes I like to reheat the frosting in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make it easier to spread over the loaf since it won't be warm when frosting. Hope this helps! Can't wait to hear how it goes!
AJ says
Could I use soya milk? Almond allergy and coeliac so can’t use oat milks (uk has no gf oat milks). Thanks.
Jillian says
soya milk should work great in this!
katie says
so so good! i used bob mills 1 to 1 GF flour, added 1 Tbs lemon zest and 1 cup fresh blueberries. amazing! 3 and 7 year olds loved it as well. thanks!
Jillian says
Hi Katie! So happy you and your kiddos enjoyed! Thanks for trying my recipe!
Christine says
Hi there, I made your recipe twice and it is incredibly tasty! But both times it was gummy. I followed it exactly (125g per 1 cup flour) the first time and the second time i tried instead to add the soda/powder to the flour and then mix all dry with wet. It only made my cake fall in the middle - and was gummy still. I bake around 10-15 cakes/muffins/donuts/tarts/etc a week for a café so I'm sure I did not overmix, or have my oven at the wrong temperature. Any other ideas on what I am doing wrong please? I was making this for my husband and our neighbors for the holidays, btw. Thanks again as this loaf is soooo yummy!
Jillian says
Hi Christie! This cake should yield a fluffy and light texture every time. My guess is that it is the flour you are using. Can you please tell me what kind/brand? If you are using a flour outside of the ones recommended in the recipe, this will cause a yummy texture and the cake will not rise.
Matilde Moreno Hernandez says
The best dessert I have ever tried in my life
Jillian says
Hi Matilde! This makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for trying my recipe!
A_Hart_Apart says
Made into muffins so I could freeze for myself. Dropped the oven temp to 350 and baked about 20-22 min. So easy to whip up. Oh my word….so delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Jillian says
So happy to hear that you enjoyed them!! Thank you for trying my recipe!! Great idea to make lemon muffins 🙂
Shirak says
Absolutely delicious. I would cut the sugar in the icing to 2/3 of a cup. Still very sweet.
Jillian says
Glad you enjoyed! Thank you for trying my recipe!
Mireille says
This was amazing! I used and oat flour AP blend and it baked beautifully. I topped it with a lemon glaze. Tasted just like it was from a bakery!
Malcolm Whyte says
I just made this lemon cake for my daughter and it came out beautifully. The one thing I would recommend is to add at least a half a teaspoon of salt.
Jillian says
Great feedback! I will note that in the recipe!
Matilde Moreno says
I love it. Sooo good.!.
I do it on friday, relaxed for the weekend.
Matilde Moreno says
Sooo good. I love it
Jillian says
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
Leah says
Fabulous recipe! Couldn’t believe an egg wasn’t necessary!! Mind blown! It was light but flavorful and the icing was to die for!
Jillian says
Hi Leah! I'm so happy you enjoyed my recipe! Thank you for leaving a review!