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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A bright and sunny cake, perfect for a spring picnic, filled with zippy citrus flavor. From the lemon syrup to the lemon glaze, this Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake has sophistication written all over it but comes together in just about 20 minutes before baking.
My homemade Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake is the perfect treat to welcome spring! The citrus flavor shines in this recipe. Lemon is added to this rich buttery pound cake three times — first in the cake itself, then in lemon syrup, and finally in the lemon glaze. I also add Greek yogurt, ensuring the cake remains moist and adds a lovely tang.
You’ll be the star if you bring this cake to any upcoming get-together. But you certainly don’t need any special excuse to make pound cake. I love a slice of this lemon yogurt pound cake with my morning cup of coffee!
Why You Should Add Greek Yogurt To Pound Cake
Is there anything more disappointing than a dry, bland pound cake? I rather use it as a doorstep. There are a few reasons why I include Greek yogurt in my poundcake. Firstly, the yogurt guarantees you’ll have a lovely, moist lemon pound cake. On top of that, it also flavors the cake, giving it a slight tang that makes you want more than one slice.
But there’s also a perfectly scientific reason you should add Greek yogurt. The acidity of the yogurt helps activate the baking soda in the recipe, which in turn produces carbon dioxide bubbles. This helps the cake rise and gives you a lovely, tender texture.
Lemon Pound Cake Glaze
Since this cake isn’t incredibly sweet, I like to top it with a homemade lemon glaze after I pour the lemon syrup over the pound cake and let it cool. You can certainly enjoy this cake without a glaze, but I love how it tastes with this cake!
Making the glaze is also unbelievably easy. All you have to do is whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar together, and you’re ready to drizzle!
Tools You Need To Make Lemon Greek Yogurt Loaf Cake
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9×5-inch (23×12½cm) loaf pan
- Stand mixer/Handheld mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Small saucepan
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake
- The parchment paper in your loaf pan makes this cake easier to lift out after it has cooled.
- For an extra fine crumb, you can replace the all-purpose flour in the cake with cake flour.
- If the cake is browning too much before the center is done, cover with some tin foil.
- For a nice variation, swirl in one cup (5oz/142g) of fresh raspberries or blueberries into the batter before you bake it.
- Try serving this with some homemade lemon curd and fresh whipped cream!
Get More Cake Recipes:
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Best-Ever Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Best-Ever Vanilla Cake
- Best-Ever Carrot Cake
- Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
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Try These Recipes!
Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Yogurt Cake
- 3/4 cups (6oz/170g) butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups (12oz/340g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) whole milk Greek yogurt (room temperature)
- Zest from one lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups (8⅓oz/236g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Syrup
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (2floz/60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups (6oz/170g) powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Making The Lemon Yogurt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line with parchment a 9x5-inch (23x12½cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition until incorporated.
- Beat in the yogurt, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and then add this to the wet ingredients in three increments, beating just until smoothly blended.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make The Lemon Syrup
- Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup looks clear.
- With a wooden skewer poke holes all over the loaf while it is still in the pan and then pour the hot syrup over the warm cake. Let the syrup soak into the cake while it is cooling in the loaf pan.
- Once the cake is cool, remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack.
Making The Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and then drizzle over the cake. Let set before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I’m sorry to hear that, Jennifer. The ads aren’t ours, it’s Google’s or Youtube’s. Unfortunately, it’s just too expensive to make a content-heavy site such as ours, ad-free. We don’t earn from any of it. But it’s the only way I can continue to share my recipes to you for FREE. On each page, below the recipe title, you’ll see a “jump to recipe” button. Click on it, you’ll be directed to the recipe section. Then from the recipe section: next to the title of the recipe, you’ll see a PRINTER icon in red color, click on it, you can… Read more »
Wow. It’s a free site. It would be nice to have a little grace and gratitude. When life gives you lemons ….
”Damn” good recipe!! Respect!! Thank you
Gemma for sharing your recipes for free! I especially love the mug recipes! Much appreciated!!
hugs🤗🥰
elaine
I don’t have yogurt, think subbing in sour cream will work for this recipe?
For some reason your recipes will no longer save to Pinterest for me. It keeps saying it is an invalid format. Not sure if anyone is having this issue, but I thought I would bring it to your attention.
The print button is right next to the name of the recipe.
I love all your recipes. I love cakes and especially the lemon flavor
Hi Dear!
Sharing the pic.
❤️
Shamima
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe 😀
Another excellent recipe from Gemma! (No surprise! 😆)
I did make a few changes, out of necessity. I didn’t have any full-fat yogurt, so I used sour cream instead. And, I didn’t have a lemon, so I used orange extract in place of the lemon juice and zest.
And, when it was done, I poked the cake all over with a skewer and poured Grand Marnier over it. The result is OUTSTANDING and I highly recommend trying it!