Lemon Drizzle Loaf

Name: Lemon Drizzle Loaf Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups plain all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 cup golden granulated sugar or white granulated sugar; 2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (approx. 1 large lemon); 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten ((each weighing approx. 55g-60g in shell)); 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 large lemon); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3/4 cup icing/confectioners sugar, (sifted if it’s lumpy); 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 medium lemon)

Jump to Recipe

An easy one bowl Lemon Drizzle Loaf that is fluffy, light, and infused with fresh lemon zest and juice. With a quick two-ingredient lemon drizzle icing to serve.

A lemon cake recipe is great to have on hand as it’s a classic baked good that you can always turn to when you need to make a snack for the family.

It’s wonderful to slice, wrap up, and pop into lunchboxes for school and work. Infused with freshly grated lemon zest and lemon juice, it offers a wonderful yet powerful lemon flavor.

If you would like to add a twist to this classic lemon drizzle loaf, try making my Lemon Poppy Seed Bread or this One Bowl Lemon Yoghurt Cake.

These lemon cake recipes or my Easy Lemon Syrup Cake are perfect to make using your in-season lemons!

Angle shot of lemon loaf slices ready to serve

🍋 Why You Will Love This Recipe

The loaf is made in one bowl with a two-ingredient lemon drizzle.
Light and fluffy texture of this lemon loaf is refreshing yet satisfying.
Fresh lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice to make the best and most flavourful lemon drizzle loaf.

📋 Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make lemon drizzle loaf, plain flour, granulated sugar, icing sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla

Eggs and milk: Ensure both of these refrigerated ingredients are bought to room temperature before adding them to the recipe. Measure them first and set them aside.

Granulated sugar: You can use either golden/raw granulated sugar or regular white granulated sugar. I love to use golden sugar in my baking.

Lemon zest and juice: I highly recommend using fresh lemons for this loaf, both the zest and juice to get the best outcome. If you want an authentic lemon tasting loaf, use fresh lemons. You can use any variety of lemon you have on hand such as Meyer or Eureka.

Icing/confectioners sugar: If your icing sugar is lumpy, sift it into your mixing bowl after measuring to remove the lumps.

🥣 Step By Step Instructions

1) In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined.

2) Make a well in the center and add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and lemon juice. Fold and mix until incorporated and no pockets/lumps of dry mixture remain. Ensuring not to over-mix the batter.

Adding the liquids and mixing altogether

3) Pour into lined pan and smooth out the top.

4) Bake for 37-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean and it’s golden on top.

Pouring batter into baking pan and how it looks golden on top after coming out of the oven

5) In a small mixing bowl add icing sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until well combined and smooth.

6) Once the loaf is completely cooled, drizzle over lemon icing. It will drizzle down the sides so be sure to have your loaf on a tray or a layer of parchment paper underneath.

7) Serve and enjoy!

Pouring the lemon drizzle icing over the baked loaf

💭 Tips & Serving Suggestions

Bring your eggs and milk to room temperature before adding them to the recipe. Measure these first and set them aside to allow them enough time to come to room temperature.

Use fresh lemon zest and juice from any variety of lemons you have on hand. Using fresh will result in the best lemon loaf. I love Meyer and Eureka lemons.

Sift the icing/confectioners sugar after measuring if it’s lumpy. Organic versions usually contain more lumps.

Serve a slice of this lemon drizzle loaf with this luscious Classic Lemon Curd.

Store in an airtight container, in a dry and dark pantry for 3-4 days.

Freeze by wrapping the loaf tightly in plastic wrap after it’s completely cooled and the lemon drizzle icing has set. Place into an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Defrost the loaf by unwrapping it and placing it on a wire rack on your kitchen countertop at room temperature for 4-6 hours or until completely thawed. Warming up the slices to refresh them even further can be done in a moderate oven or microwave until warmed through.

💬 FAQ’s

Can I freeze this lemon drizzle loaf?

Yes, you absolutely can! Freeze it by wrapping the loaf tightly in plastic wrap after it’s completely cooled and the lemon drizzle icing has set. Place it into an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To defrost, unwrap the loaf and place it on a wire rack on your kitchen countertop at room temperature for 4-6 hours or until completely thawed. Warming up the slices to refresh them even further can be done in a moderate oven or microwave until warmed through.

Can I substitute the lemon for other citrus fruit such as orange or lime?

Yes, you can. Swap the lemon for either fresh orange or lime by using the same quantity of zest and juice. For the zest, depending on the size of your orange, you may need less than one large orange to get the two tablespoons of zest. For the lime, you will need more than one lime to get the two tablespoons of zest. The same goes for the juice, depending on the size of each fruit, just make sure you have the same quantities as what is used for the lemon.