Lemon Loaf (Starbucks Copycat!)

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease and flour a 9x5” (23x12cm) bread pan or line with a parchment paper sling. Set aside.

Cream butter, sugar, and zest: In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, and lemon zest and use an electric mixer to beat until light, fluffy, and well-creamed (about 3-4 minutes on medium-high speed).

Stir in the oil until well combined.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together sour cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well-combined, and then stir into the butter mixture on low-speed until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients & add to the batter: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until completely combined.

Whip the egg whites. In a separate, medium-sized clean, dry, grease-free mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (with clean, dry beaters), to beat the egg whites on low-speed, then gradually increase to high and beat until you have stiff peaks (mixture will be thick, white, fluffy, and voluminous and the peaks that form when you lift the beaters out should hold their shape and not dissolve back into the bowl).

Fold in egg whites. Add the egg whites to the batter and use a spatula to gently fold together until batter is just combined, smooth and uniform. Pour evenly into prepared loaf pan.

Bake. Transfer pan to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 74 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no wet batter).

Allow the loaf to cool in the baking pan for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edges to loosen and carefully removing to a cooling rack. Prepare the lemon glaze.

Lemon glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, butter, and vanilla extract. Continue to add lemon juice as needed until mixture is smooth. Spread or pour evenly over loaf (it’s OK if it’s still warm).

Allow loaf to cool and glaze to set for at least 30 minutes after frosting before slicing and serving.