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This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is bursting with bright citrus flavor and topped with a tangy lemon glaze. Moist, sweet, and simple to make—it's the perfect treat for anytime you’re craving something fresh and flavorful.

A sliced lemon loaf with poppy seeds and white glaze, topped with lemon slices, sits on a marble surface. Extra lemon slices and a few raspberries are scattered around.

This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is moist, tender, and packed with bright citrus flavor.

Topped with a tangy lemon glaze, it’s a simple homemade dessert that delivers bakery-style results with minimal effort. Like my bread maker blueberry bread, this is one I crave in the spring and summer!

Ingredients

Overhead photo of Butter, Sugar, Large eggs, Lemon juice, Lemon zest, Vanilla extract, Poppy seeds, All-purpose flour, Baking powder, Sea salt, Sour cream, Powdered sugar, and Fresh lemon juice in prep bowls.

For the Loaf

Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. Make sure you bring it to room temperature before using.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is best for this recipe.
Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for the best results.
Lemon juice and zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest will give you the most flavorful results. You could add ½ teaspoon lemon extract for an even more punchy lemon flavor.
Vanilla extract: Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Imitation just doesn't compare!
Poppy seeds: Optional, but adds a nice nutty flavor to the cake.
Flour: All-purpose flour is best in this recipe.
Baking powder: Make sure you use fresh baking powder for this recipe. If it has been in the back of your pantry for a few years, it probably needs tossing.
Salt: Use fine sea salt or kosher salt.
Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for added moisture and the best taste. Greek yogurt (5%) could also be used.

For the Lemon Glaze

Overhead photo of a red bowl with powdered sugar and green bowl of lemon juice sitting next to a whisk.

Powdered Sugar: If your powdered sugar is clumpy, make sure you sift it first.
Lemon Juice: You won't believe the punchy flavor that fresh lemon juice adds to the glaze.

Step by Step Instructions

For the full recipe with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.

First, start by preheating the oven to 350° F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing for an overhang.

Butter and sugar being beaten in the bowl of a stand mixer. — In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Eggs that have been added to butter and sugar. — Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

lemon juice, zest, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds being added to eggs, butter, and sugar. — Beat in the lemon juice, zest, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds.

Flour, baking powder, and salt mixed together in a bowl. — In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Part of the dry ingredients being added to the wet ingredients for lemon loaf. — Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients...

Sour cream being added to lemon loaf batter. — Alternating with the sour cream.

Lemon loaf batter being finished up in a red KitchenAid stand mixer. — Mix until just combined.

Lemon loaf batter in a parchment lined bread pan. — Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon loaf fresh from the oven on a cooling rack. — Let the lemon loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and transfer it to a cooling rack.
Let cool completely.

Powdered sugar and lemon juice being blended in a bowl to make a glaze. — After your lemon loaf is cool, make the glaze by sifting the powdered sugar into a bowl to remove any clumps.

Glaze being poured over a lemon loaf. — Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.

A glazed lemon loaf on a cooling rack set on top of a baking sheet. — Spoon over the loaf, and let stand for about 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips & Tricks

Customizing your lemon loaf cake recipe: Feel free to get creative with your glazed lemon loaf by adding different mix-ins or toppings. You can include blueberries or even a swirl of raspberry jam for added flavor and visual appeal. Experiment with various glazes, such as orange-infused or cream cheese-based, to find your favorite combination.
Measuring ingredients accurately: To ensure the perfect texture and crumb of this lemon pound cake, it's essential to measure your ingredients accurately. Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements (use the metric button in the recipe card to get the weight of the ingredients), or if using cups, level off the ingredients with the back of a knife for consistent results.
Room temperature ingredients: For a light and fluffy lemon loaf, make sure all your ingredients, especially butter, eggs, and sour cream, are at room temperature before mixing. This helps them blend more easily and evenly, creating a smooth batter.
Zesting lemons: When zesting lemons for your loaf, be sure to only remove the outer yellow layer, as the white pith underneath can be bitter. Only go over the lemon once! A microplane or fine grater works best for this task
Avoid overmixing: To achieve the desired tender crumb, avoid overmixing the batter once the dry ingredients have been added to the wet. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, as overmixing can lead to a dense, tough loaf.
Checking for doneness: To ensure your lemon loaf is fully baked, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your loaf is ready. Be careful not to overbake, as this can cause the cake to become dry.
Cooling and glazing: Allow your lemon loaf to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help the loaf maintain its shape and make it easier to glaze. Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to set before slicing and serving.

FAQs

Does lemon loaf need to be refrigerated?

Since the glaze doesn't have dairy, you can store this lemon loaf at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can refrigerate it if you want to keep it a bit longer than that.

Can I freeze lemon loaf?

Absolutely! For best results, wrap your cooled cake tightly with plastic wrap before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Lemon loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy it, thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator, and glaze as usual.

Tools

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Large Bowl
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
9 x 5 Loaf Pan

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A lemon loaf with white glaze, partially sliced and topped with lemon slices, sits on a white marble surface. More lemon slices and raspberries are scattered around for a vibrant touch.

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Ingredients

½ cup butter at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons poppy seeds optional
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup sour cream at room temperature

Lemon Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus more to achieve desired texture

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing for an overhang.
Beat together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the eggs, one at at time, beating after each addition.
Beat in the lemon juice, zest, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the try mix to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Mix until just combined.
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the glaze, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl to remove any clumps. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Spoon over the loaf, and let stand for about 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

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Dessert Recipes Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf