Copycat Starbucks Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

When I treat myself to coffee at Starbucks, I’ll often splurge on a slice of their iced lemon loaf cake. It is truly my favorite. Even though I’m a chocolate girl, I’ll choose lemon desserts when given the choice. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover that making a copycat version at home was easier than I realized. Read on for how you, too, can make the famous Starbucks iced lemon cake at home.

Copycat Starbucks Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

I never realized that the Starbucks Iced Lemon Loaf Cake has been around since around 2001. Then Starbucks changed up the menu about 10 years later and got rid of it. Oh boy did they hear from their customers who loved that lemon flavor and wanted it back. So they brought it back in 2014 where it continues to be a top-selling pastry today.

While you can buy a bunch of Starbucks products online or in stores to make at home, you cannot buy this lemon cake. I looked on Amazon, in hopes that maybe I could get something there. Nope. But I did see lots of other lemon cake options online. Even more of a reason to try my hand at a copycat version at home.

Also, I’m writing this article with spring practically knocking at our doorstep. This is a great dessert to serve for spring holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day. Another lemony option for spring: this three layer Easter cake with lemon.

Ingredients

There are two sets of ingredients for this recipe. One is for the cake itself. The other is for the iced lemon glaze.

Lemon Loaf Recipe Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Iced Glaze Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Instructions

Like with the ingredients, there are two sets of instructions for making this copycat Starbucks iced lemon loaf cake. Again, one is for the cake and the other is for the iced glaze.

Cake Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal after baking.

In a large mixing bowl:

• Combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers until it becomes fragrant and slightly moist.
• Add the eggs one at a time to the lemon-sugar mixture. Beat well after each addition until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Once your batter is made, pour it into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely, about 45-60 minutes.

Glaze Instructions

While the cake cools, prepare the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and all of the lemon juice in a medium bowl. If you decide that the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice a teaspoon at a time, whisking after each time, until the glaze is the consistency you want.

Once the cake is completely cool, transfer it to the plate from which you will be serving it. Then, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before slicing the cake.

The next time you visit Starbucks, will you want to order something to drink but don’t want a sugar rush? Well, here is a guide to the best sugar-free Starbucks drinks.

Notes

This recipe calls for sour cream. However, I’ve found that full-fat, plain Greek yogurt is an excellent substitution if you do not have or want to use sour cream.

Also, I used 1/3 cup of canola oil. If you’d rather use butter, you can replace the 1/3 cup of vegetable oil with 1/3 cup of softened butter. That would be a little more than 5 tablespoons of your stick of butter. Melt it before adding to the batter.

Also, don’t be surprised if the outer layer of this cake looks almost orange. You have a number of ingredients in the recipe that may turn it this color. This includes the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon juice.

You have three options for storing this cake, if you are serving it right away and have leftovers.

• Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Freeze the cake for up to three months. If you choose to freeze it, I would recommend slicing the cake before putting it in the freezer. Then using a freezer-safe, airtight container.

Because you’re making a loaf cake, you need a loaf pan. I suggest a 9×5-inch loaf pan, which may be listed online as a bread loaf pan. You’ll find that they come in glass, metal or silicone. It really is up to you which material you prefer.