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–+ servings
Fresh milled flour iced lemon loaf on a wood cutting board with a slice cut off.

The Best Fresh Milled Flour Lemon Loaf

This fresh milled flour lemon loaf is soft, moist, and bursting with bright citrus flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice, then finished with a sweet simple lemon glaze. It’s a wholesome Starbucks lemon loaf copycat made with freshly milled soft white wheat for a tender, bakery-style loaf at home.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 16 slices

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Lemon Loaf

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • zest of 2 large lemons or 3 small (about 2 tablespoons)
  • ½ cup butter (melted)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 260 grams fresh milled soft white wheat flour (if using all purpose flour use 1⅔ cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder

For the Glaze

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon milk
  • ½ tablespoon butter (melted)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven
    Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease or line a standard loaf pan.
  • Mix the lemon sugar
    In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest.Rub the zest into the sugar. This releases the natural oils in the lemon zest. This step creates a stronger lemon flavor so it is important not to skip.
  • Add the wet ingredients
    Stir in: melted butter, eggs, vanilla, fresh lemon juice
    Mix until smooth.
  • Add the dairy
    Stir in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and milk until fully combined. This is what keeps the loaf soft and tender, creating a light lemon loaf texture.
  • Add the fresh milled flour
    In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix until combined. Add the flour mixture to the batter. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Bake
    Pour the batter into a parchment lined or greased loaf pan.
    Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  • While the loaf cools, prepare the simple lemon glaze.
    In a small bowl whisk together: powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and pinch of salt.
    The glaze should be smooth and pourable.
  • Ice the loaf
    Allow the loaf to cool 30 minutes. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled loaf to create a classic loaf with lemon glaze.

Notes

Tips for the Best Lemon Bread

  • Use real lemon zest - Lemon zest provides the majority of the flavor making this the best lemon bread recipe.
  • Don't overmix the batter - Overmixing can make quick breads dense instead of soft.
  • Let the loaf cool before glazing - This helps the lemon glaze set beautifully on top instead of soaking into the bread.

Storage

Store this homemade lemon bread covered at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
This iced loaf bread also freezes well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.