This Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe is a tender, flavorful pound cake topped with a rosemary-infused lemon glaze that’s hard to resist.
What is this
Featuring a rosemary-infused lemon glaze
This lemon loaf cake is adapted from a recipe by Deanna Samaan of Seduction in the Kitchen and updated with a bright rosemary-infused lemon glaze. It’s a simple, approachable loaf that highlights fresh lemon zest and juice, balanced by a subtle herbal note from rosemary.
We bake often at Platter Talk and love recipes that use fresh lemons. Lemons add brightness and pair beautifully with berries, herbs, and even richer flavors. For another lemon-and-rosemary pairing, see our Rosemary Lemon Chicken recipe for inspiration.
Other lemon recipes
- Lemon-Blueberry Bread
- Lemon Ice Cookies
- Lemon Soda Pound Cake
- Julia Child’s Lemon Herb Roast Chicken
- Creamy Lemon and Parmesan Noodles
- Lemon Drop Cookies
- Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast & Lemon-Basil Sauce
- Blueberry-Lemon Bread
- Braised Garlic Chicken & Capers with Lemon-Anchovies Sauce
- Blueberry Crumb Cake & Cream Cheese Lemon Twist
We made a few small changes to the original lemon pound cake to create this loaf, then finished it with a rosemary-scented glaze for a slightly savory balance that keeps the sweetness bright.
To present the cake nicely, we baked smaller loaves alongside a larger one and garnished them with thin lemon slices, fresh rosemary sprigs, and organic blueberries. A light dusting of powdered sugar finishes the look and flavor.
How do you grease and flour a cake pan? We’ve got a short video that shows the technique.
The resulting loaf is moist and fragrant, offering a pleasant contrast of sweet lemon and aromatic rosemary. It works equally well for a simple family dessert, a potluck, or a special occasion.
We hope you try this lemon loaf cake soon. If you enjoy it, visit the original recipe creator and experiment with your own variations. Thanks for reading Platter Talk — we appreciate you!
Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe with Rosemary-Infused Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1.5 cups cake flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray and dust with cake flour.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Use a food processor or microplane to combine the sugar and lemon zest so the sugar is fragrant and slightly colored by the zest.
- With a stand mixer, cream the butter and the lemon-scented sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla; beat until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix just until combined — avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 15 minutes at 350°F. Reduce the oven to 325°F and bake until deep golden and a skewer comes out clean, about 40–45 more minutes.
- Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
For the rosemary-infused lemon glaze
- Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce heat to low, add the rosemary sprig, and simmer until the glaze thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove the rosemary.
- Poke holes in the warm cake with a toothpick, then drizzle the glaze over the top. Allow the cake to cool at room temperature at least one hour before serving to let the flavors set.
Nutrition
Calories: 498 kcal, Carbohydrates: 63 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 25 g, Saturated Fat: 15 g, Cholesterol: 142 mg, Sodium: 526 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 44 g. Nutrition information is approximate.
Additional Info
Course: Dessert | Cuisine: American
