Triple-Lemon Loaf Cake
Photo Credit : Styled and photographed by Liz NeilyThis cake has a soft, velvety texture and a tangy and bright citrusy flavor. I use the reverse creaming technique (first combining the dry ingredients with the butter and cream cheese to inhibit gluten production), which makes overmixing nearly impossible. A generous soak of lemon syrup followed by a bright lemon icing ensures a moist, buttery, and lemony cake.
This recipe from Sarah Hearn Morrison first appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Yankee Magazine.
Yield:
8 servingsFor the Cake
Ingredients
2 yolks from large eggs
1 large egg
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon (220 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, plus more for garnish
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
¼ cup cream cheese, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, letting the excess parchment hang over the long sides of the pan (about 2 inches on each side is perfect). Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sour cream, and lemon juice until smooth and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low until combined. With the mixer on low, add the butter and cream cheese a few pieces at a time and mix until fully incorporated and the dry ingredients resemble damp sand. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add half of the egg mixture. Once it is mostly combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once more and add the rest of the egg mixture. Beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan using a silicone spatula and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil.)
For the syrup
Ingredients
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan combine the sugar, lemon juice, and butter. Place over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
When the cake is finished baking, remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack. Generously brush the top of the cake with the syrup. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, glazing the top a few more times while it cools. Run a knife between the edges of the cake and the pan, then lift the cake from the pan using the parchment paper sling. Remove the parchment paper and set the cake on a cooling rack set over a piece of aluminum foil to catch drips. Let cool completely.
For the icing
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
To make the icing, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and whisk until smooth, then add by the teaspoon until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Spoon the icing over the completely cooled cake, using the back of the spoon to gently smooth it over the top of the cake and letting it drizzle a bit down the sides. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Allow the icing to set before serving. Cover and store any leftover cake for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
