This Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf Is Better Than the Real Thing

Photo byLil Luna

As regular readers may know, I love the taste of lemon. There's something about the tang that draws me in--especially if it's paired with just the right dose of sweetness. This Starbucks copycat lemon loaf recipe is full of delicious lemony flavor and its rich, dense, springy texture is better--and fresher--than the real thing. Not to mention a lot less expensive.

This recipe is easy to make and calls for ingredients you probably already have on hand: flour, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, salt and a few other pantry staples. A half cup of sour cream gives the loaf an extra dose of moisture and the lemon icing on top adds a final boost of flavor.

Serve this loaf as an afternoon snack with coffee or your favorite brand of herbal tea. Or splurge and enjoy a slice for breakfast. And don't forget to savor the lemony scent that will fill your kitchen as the loaf is baking.

Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Ingredients

For the loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract (or add additional 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream

For the lemon icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons cream or milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar and the eggs for 2 minutes on medium speed with a hand-held or stand mixer. Add in the melted butter and oil.

4. Mix in the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the sour cream and combine well.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, about a third of the mixture at a time. Mix until almost combined then add more. Continue until all the flour is incorporated into the batter.

6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. The top should feel firm to the touch.

7. Cool the loaf completely on a wire rack.

8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream/milk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or cream, as needed for

9. Remove the cooled loaf from the pan and drizzle the icing over the top.

Notes

If you don't have lemon extract on hand, you can add more lemon juice and zest.

If the top of the loaf appears to be browning too much as it's baking, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top. In my oven this loaf takes exactly 50 minutes and I've never needed to use foil. At 50 minutes, it will be brown around the edges and will have pulled away from the sides of the pan; the rest of the loaf will be a light golden brown that rises toward the center and feels firm.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that, unlike the Starbucks loaf, its texture is never oily.

I melt the butter before I do anything else. By the time I need it, it's cooled down enough to use.