better than coffee shop iced lemon loaf
Ya’ll asked for it, so here’s a fucken lemon loaf.
I love Shmerberks’ lemon loaf. It’s been a favorite of both my mom and mine’s for years – if I ever get a pastry from there, it’s nearly always that citrusy block of temptation. Or the coffee cake, mostly for the streusel. That may be an adventure for another day.
The thing is, I usually don’t get anything from there, because I think of how I can make whatever they sell better than they do. And encourage ya’ll to try and one-up the big corporations by cooking and baking at home! Maybe that’s my ultimate life goal, I don’t know. Stick it to the man and all that shit.
I enjoyed a nice few days off which lent me the time to really explore some fun new dishes, and this lemon loaf was one of them. The secret to the incredibly fluffy, tender texture is a good deal of Greek yogurt. Some lemon loaves use buttermilk, but the thickness and fat content of whole milk yogurt is what I found best for the loveliest loaf you can make. A big hunk of this bread is terrific with afternoon tea or coffee. It’s far less sweet than the Shmarbooks version and twice as lemony.
Really, a pretty fucking perfect midday reprieve.
Butter Sugar Lemon Time
Kinda breaking my healthier January trend with this guy, but an IG poll indicated that the lemon loaf was craved, and I’m here to please the people.
The batter for a lemon cake is very easy. I use lots of lemon zest and juice, about one big lemon’s worth of both. Yes, you can use the same lemon – I recommend zesting it first, then slicing in half and squeezing out the golden elixir.
The ingredients otherwise are pretty simple. Butter and sugar first, then eggs, vanilla, and the lemon pair. Whip in flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Then, a whole cup of Greek yogurt. Mix it up until just combined. The batter should be thick, and pourable with the help of a spatula.
Grease a bread pan, dump in the batter and smooth it out, then bake. This loaf will take awhile, so prepare for an hour of derping around. Enjoy the uplifting, energizing aroma of lemon while you do.
Big Loaf Energy
Cool the loaf completely before icing. Of course, you can ice it while it’s warm, but most of the glaze will absorb into the bread if you do, so it won’t be quite as glossy or pretty. Still, I understand the flaw of impatience well. Do as you please.
A little melted butter offers a nice, firm texture and, of course, a slightly buttery taste. Butter tastes like butter…fucking wow. Whisk it up with some powdered sugar and lemon juice. The glaze should be a little thicker, but definitely not like quasi-frosting. My rendition is a little thinner than Shmoobooks’ because I don’t really love that caliber of a sugar pile. The taste, yes, but the amount is a little much for me.
Drizzle that icing over the loaf, and let it harden a bit before slicing. 30 minutes is adequate, though an hour is better if you plan to store it. When it’s ready, put that kettle to a boil, heat your favorite tea or coffee, and enjoy a slice for a cozy afternoon.
A small note: I really don’t recommend trying to skimp on the yogurt by replacing whole milk with nonfat or 2%. The fat is the kicker that makes this loaf so wonderfully soft. Fresh lemon is also the way to go: the stuff in a bottle has a plasticky taste that I definitely detect when I use it in anything. Keep the ingredients real, buddies. The payoff is so worth it.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
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better than coffee shop iced lemon loaf
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
lemon glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with butter.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The batter will curdle – this is normal due to the lemon's acidity. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, pour in the Greek yogurt. Mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 55-65 minutes until an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen. Flip onto a wire rack, then flip upright. Cool completely.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon, and melted butter. Pour over the cooled loaf. Let set 30 minutes. Slice and serve!
Shannon
Do you take the photos on your page or does someone else do it? They’re beautifully staged photos. Actually, a friend of mine started following you and then introduced your Instagram page to me solely because of your gorgeous photos!
Kellie
You’re so sweet. It’s all me!