Brunch • Cakes & Cupcakes
Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake
June 10, 2021
This post is sponsored by LACTAID. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting […]
This post is sponsored by LACTAID. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Browned Butter Blondie possible!
This strawberry lemon loaf cake is a simple and delicious dessert perfect for all of your summer celebrations. Topped with a silky smooth strawberry glaze and piled high with fresh berries, this cake is as pretty as it is delicious!
We’re just days away from the start of summer vacation and all I can think about is the million and one ways I want to soak up the season. I’ve got big plans to churn homemade ice cream, a fresh cherry pie is definitely on the menu and I cannot wait to stock my freezer with a triple batch of chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwiches. But nothing says summer quite like a cake piled high with fresh, farmer’s market berries. It’s just the picture perfect dessert that makes the kick off to summertime feel extra special and I can’t wait to tell you how to make it.
INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON LOAF CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE
This dessert is perfect for serving at all of your summer soirees and you only need a handful of simple ingredients to bake this strawberry lemon loaf cake. Here’s what you’ll need…
Flour. This cake bakes up perfectly every time with regular all-purpose flour. For best results, measure the flour using with scoop and level method or better yet, weigh your flour using a digital kitchen scale.
Butter. Set your butter out at least an hour before mixing the batter. Room temperature butter will incorporate best with the sugar leaving you with a moist and tender crumb.
Sugar. This recipe calls for both granulated sugar in the cake and confectioners sugar in the strawberry glaze. It’s sweet, but not too sweet and the added lemon flavor gives every bite the perfect punch of citrus flavor.
Eggs. Four whole eggs make for a light and fluffy crumb that will have everyone coming back for seconds {and thirds!}.
Milk. Thanks to Lactaid Whole Milk, I can have my cake, and the frosting too, without any tummy troubles. Lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. So it tastes and bakes just like real milk!
Sour cream. This lemon loaf cake stays moist for days because it’s made with both whole milk and sour cream. Be sure to use full fat sour cream at room temperature for best results.
Lemons. I love the flavor of fresh Meyer lemons but any lemon will do if Meyers are hard to find. For extra lemony flavor, add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to the glaze in the place of the whole milk.
Strawberries. It’s strawberry season bakers and this cake is my favorite way to show them off. The naturally pink strawberry glaze is made with a simple strawberry puree that comes together quickly on the stovetop. Top the cake with a handful of fresh mixed berries for a show stopping summer dessert!
TIPS FOR THE BEST LOAF CAKE
This strawberry lemon loaf cake is so easy to make it’s practically fool-proof. Follow the tips below for a perfectly baked loaf that is sure to be a hit all summer long!
Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure you butter, eggs, milk and sour cream are all at room temperature. Room temp ingredients incorporate more evenly and make for a perfect crumb that is not too dense or too airy!
Do not over mix. Over mixing the batter makes for a dense, gummy loaf cake. We want everyone to come back for a second slice so don’t be tempted to over mix the batter. Less is more my friends!
Cool completely before glazing. No sense in spending an hour in the kitchen baking up the perfect loaf cake only to pour your glaze on top and have it all run right off the sides. For the prettiest presentation, cool the cake completely before drizzling the glaze on top. The glaze will set in just 5-ish minutes and be ready for cutting into perfect slices!
Top with fresh berries. This pretty lil’ loaf cake is the perfect summertime dessert topped with fresh berries. Gather up all of your favorites from the farmer’s market and pile them high on top of that all natural pretty pink glaze!
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT STRAWBERRY GLAZE
A simple strawberry glaze is the perfect topper for this easy lemon loaf cake. It’s made with just 3 ingredients and takes just a few minutes to whip together. Save any extra to pour over ice cream or dollop on your morning toast!
Use fresh strawberries. You can absolutely use frozen berries if that’s all you have on hand. But fresh is best so grab a bundle from the farmer’s market or local fruit stand. Don’t have strawberries? No problem. You can easily swap the strawberries for raspberries, cherries or even a fresh blueberry glaze. Summer berry season means you have lots of options!
Sift the confectioners sugar. For the silkiest, smoothest glaze, be sure to sift the confectioners sugar before stirring it together with the berries and milk. It will pour on perfectly without any lumps or bumps. The glaze is very forgiving so if it starts out too thin, add more confectioners sugar. Too thick? Add more milk. Stir until you reach the perfect consistency.
Pour over cooled cake. If you drizzle the glaze on top of a warm cake it will slide right off the sides and soak into the cake. Been there, done that. For a glaze that stays put, be sure to cool the cake completely. It’s worth the wait!
HOW TO STORE A LEMON LOAF CAKE
This is cake is just as delicious with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast as it is for dessert topped with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. It likely won’t last a day, but if you have any leftovers, store them tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. I’m happy to report that this loaf freezes beautifully! Make sure you wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap after cooling. Wait to add the strawberry glaze until after you have defrosted the cake at room temperature. This strawberry lemon loaf cake makes a great, last minute dessert for all of your summertime celebrations!
I hope you’re well on your way to soaking up all that summer has to offer and that you’ll find time to bake up this strawberry lemon loaf cake. I just know you’re going to love it as much as I do and that you find it on repeat in your kitchen all summer long.
Happy baking!
If you love this Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake, you’ll love these easy and delicious recipes…
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Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 60
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Description
This strawberry lemon loaf cake is a simple and delicious dessert perfect for all of your summer celebrations. Topped with a silky smooth strawberry glaze and piled high with fresh berries, this cake is as pretty as it is delicious!
Ingredients
For Cake
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (226 g) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup LACTAID Whole Milk, room temperature
1/4 cup LACTAID sour cream, room temperature
For Strawberry Glaze
2–3 tablespoons reduced strawberry puree made from 1 cup of strawberries
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons LACTAID whole milk
Instructions
For Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the short sides to extend two inches past the sides for easy removal of the loaf once baked.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add one egg at a time, scraping down bowl in between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add the flour mixture, alternating with the whole milk and sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Combine on low speed until just a few streaks of flour remain.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs remaining.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper sling to remove the loaf and cool completely on a wire rack before adding the strawberry glaze.
For Strawberry Glaze
To make the glaze, pulse one cup of fresh or frozen strawberries in a food processor until pureed. Transfer to a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of water. Heat over medium heat until the strawberries are simmering and thickened. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Chill the liquid in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Add the confectioner’s sugar, milk and 2 tablespoons strawberry puree in a medium bowl. Use a whisk to combine well. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more whole milk. Pour over the top of the cooled cake, allowing the glaze to spill down the sides of the loaf.
Top with fresh berries if desired.
Notes
Cake may be frozen before glazing. Defrost at room temperature.
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6 Comments
Yh
April 3, 2024 at 2:07 pmCan this be doubled and baked off in a bundt?
Heather Mubarak
April 3, 2024 at 4:46 pmI don’t see why not. Enjoy the cake!
Jim E
October 29, 2022 at 9:56 amHi there, from the UK here. I was just wondering if you could use normal dairy products for this, as we don’t have Lactaid in the UK.
Heather Mubarak
October 29, 2022 at 9:40 pmYes, absolutely!
Friday Favorites from Browned Butter Blondie, Salt and Baker, The Cookie Rookie and More
June 11, 2021 at 11:19 am[…] love every recipe from Browned Butter Blondie and this Strawberry Lemon Loaf cake is my new […]
Elizabeth
June 10, 2021 at 3:47 pmThis looks and sounds amazing! I cannot wait to make it.