Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (2024)

Starbucks’ Lemon Loaf Cake is the True Copycat Recipe for the moist, fluffy yet dense, lemon bread loaf. This lemon cake recipe is topped with a delicious creamy powdered sugar lemon glaze.

Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (1)

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! Whenever I go to Starbucks, I just have to have their Lemon Loaf Cake. It has a very pronounced lemony flavor, super moist, fluffy yet dense, almost bread pudding-like consistency, topped with a delicious white glaze.

The search for the perfect copycat Lemon Cake Recipe:

I have been trying to figure out what it’s made of for a long time. I have searched online for copycat recipes, looking for ones with the same texture as the Starbucks original Lemon Cake recipe. Testing at least 3 lemon cake recipes that looked similar to the Starbucks loaf, each one of them concluding to be disappointing.

One major flaw in all the lemon cake recipes shared was the lack of moisture inside the loaf. I tried soaking the lemon bread with lemon syrup, but it only made the outside a little moist. Everything that I tried didn’t come close to the sought after Starbucks Lemon Loaf.

Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (2)
All the copycat recipes failed to give off a lemony flavor without the sourness that comes with it. Adding lemon just didn’t give that proper taste. I usually am able to recreate recipes and not being able to recreate this one left me all the more disappointed.

There was a copycat recipe that used Yellow Cake Mix with pudding. Seeing that it used store-bought mix, I didn’t even bother looking more into the recipe. I don’t like using something that comes from a box if I am going to go through the trouble of making it at home. But, when all of those other lemon bread recipes did not work, I decided that I had nothing to lose, so I was going to try it.

Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (3)

Oh, how happy I am that I tried the recipe! While I would rather use all natural ingredients, that does not include a box of store-bought mix, I am able to get past that fact ONLY because this recipe produces an amazing, exact copy of the Starbucks Lemon Cake Loaf!

Can I replace Lemon Pudding?

The lemony-ness in this lemon cake recipe comes from the artificial lemon flavoring in the Lemon Pudding. You can use plain boxed Pudding and add 2-3 teaspoons of lemon emulsion & 2-3 drops of the lemon oil to achieve the same taste.

I made my version of what I think the powdered sugar lemon glaze should look and taste like, but the rest of the recipe comes from Picky-Palate.com, this recipe is truly a God-sent.

Enjoy!

Other great dessert recipes to try!

  • Cranberry Bliss Coffee Cake Recipe– Coffee cake with cranberries and white chocolate, topped with a cream cheese frosting!
  • Poppy Seed Cake w/ Lemon Glaze– A poppy-seed twist off this lemon loaf cake recipe.
  • Pillow Soft Plum Coffee Cake – Another great coffee cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. 😉

Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf Cake – the True Copycat Recipe

Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (4)

4.78 from 22 votes

Starbucks’ Lemon Loaf Cake is the True Copycat Recipe for the moist, fluffy yet dense, lemon bread loaf. This lemon cake recipe is topped with a delicious creamy powdered sugar lemon glaze.

Author: Picky Palate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon cake, lemon loaf cake

Calories: 254 kcal

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 20 slices

Ingredients

Lemon Loaf Cake

Lemon Topping

Instructions

Make Lemon Loaf

  1. Turn oven to 350°F. Line 2 loaf pans with foil & spray with nonstick spray, or butter and flour the pans. Set aside.

  2. Combine all the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.

  3. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, add about 1 cup of wet ingredients, beat with a mixer on low speed for about 15 seconds, then add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for another 15-20 seconds. DO NOT over beat, or your cake will deflate.

  4. Divide batter evenly between two loaf pans.

  5. Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden in color or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

  6. Remove from oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, before removing and allowing to cool on a cooling rack.

Make Icing

  1. Beat 1/2 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice & 1 tsp lemon emulsion until smooth and supple.

  2. Spread evenly on top of both cakes.

  3. Allow the glaze to harden up before slicing.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can be used to make a cake, cupcakes or even small individual squares like I did using a brownie square pan (see link to picture below the post).

Nutrition Facts

Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf Cake – the True Copycat Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 254Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 39mg13%

Sodium 249mg11%

Potassium 51mg1%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Sugar 23g26%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 130IU3%

Vitamin C 1.2mg1%

Calcium 79mg8%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (5)

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Starbucks' Lemon Loaf Cake - the True Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much is the lemon loaf at Starbucks? ›

A slice of Starbucks iced Lemon Loaf costs about $4.25, depending on where you purchase it. This recipe makes two lemon loaves, each baked in a 9x5-inch loaf pan, using about $10 to $12 worth of ingredients. Depending on how thick you slice the loaves, there are about 12 servings in the recipe.

What is lemon loaf made of? ›

Make the loaf:

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Pulse a few times to evenly distribute the zest. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and sour cream and pulse until combined.

How long is lemon loaf good for? ›

As for this lemon loaf – it's perfect for 3 days, still great 5 days later. Keep it in the fridge if it's warm where you are, but if not, the pantry is fine.

Does lemon cake from Starbucks have dairy? ›

Sugars [sugar, corn syrup], Enriched wheat flour, Liquid whole eggs, Soybean oil, Buttermilk [modified milk ingredients, modified cornstarch, sodium citrate, locust bean gum, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, salt, Vitamin A palmitate, Vitamin D3], Butter, Lemon zest [lemon peel, sugar, lemon oil], Water, Lemon ...

How much is 400 Starbucks stars in dollars? ›

400 Stars may be redeemed for a select merchandise item with a value up to $20 (twenty) U.S. Dollars (pre-tax).

How many points is a Starbucks lemon loaf? ›

Do you know just one slice clocks in at 24 PersonalPoints? ™ That's CRAZY! That's more than a days worth of points! And that's why I made this Lightened Up Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf.

Why doesn't my lemon cake taste like lemon? ›

Lemon flavor: Let's all say it together: LEMON JUICE DOESN'T ADD LEMON FLAVOR (when added to the cake). Instead, try adding more zest, lemon extract, or a lemon soak.

What is the difference between a loaf and a cake? ›

The primary difference between bread and cake is that yeast is used as the leavening agent, but other ingredients including sugar, eggs, milk, and fat also lead to differences in texture between the two.

Why did my lemon loaf collapse? ›

Too much: If you accidentally overmeasure your baking soda or powder it can also cause your cake or loaf to sink in the middle. High altitude: If you're baking at a higher altitude you'll need less leavening to achieve the same result as sea level. Without proper altitude adjustments, your products may sink.

Why is my lemon loaf dry? ›

The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.

How many calories in a lemon loaf from Starbucks? ›

There are 450 calories in 1 serving (126 g) of Starbucks Iced Lemon Loaf. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract? ›

No matter what you're making, plan on using about 2 tablespoons citrus juice for every 1 teaspoon of lemon extract called for in the recipe. (If you're making a baked good, you may want to reduce the other liquids in the batter by a little less than 2 tablespoons to compensate.)

Where does Starbucks get their dairy from? ›

Dean Foods. Dean Foods (now owned by the cooperative Dairy Farmers of America) is one of the dairy companies that provide Starbucks with milk. The majority of its products are free of the bovine growth hormone rBGH, although the company's Purity brand, among others, has moved away from using hormones.

What milk at Starbucks is dairy-free? ›

To ensure you can always choose your favourite non. dairy match, we no longer charge for any of the milk alternatives available in our stores - including at, soya, almon and coconut.

Is vanilla syrup at Starbucks dairy-free? ›

8 Flavored syrups

These vegan-friendly syrups can be added to any beverage for a hint or a tidal wave of sweet flavoring. They include Cinnamon Dolce, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hazelnut, Peppermint, Raspberry, Toffee Nut, Caramel, and Sugar-free Vanilla.

How much is whole cake in Starbucks? ›

Starbucks' last new cafe offering is the Chocolate Caramel Fudge Cake – 3 layers of chocolate cake with chocolate and caramel fudge in between, topped off by a Belgian chocolate ganache. It costs P195 for a slice and P1,550 for a whole cake.

How much is 100 Starbucks stars? ›

Starbucks Rewards free drinks and more

100 stars: Brewed hot or iced coffee or tea, a bakery item, packaged snacks and core reusable plastic to-go cups. 200 stars: Handcrafted beverages and Cold Brew beverages or hot breakfast. 300 stars: Lunch sandwich, protein box, salad and packaged coffee.

Is Starbucks pumpkin loaf year round? ›

Returning seasonal bakery items include the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and the Owl Cake Pop, as well as the popular Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf, which is available year-round.

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