Description
A bright, moist, and tender loaf cake bursting with zesty lemon flavor and juicy raspberries. Finished with an optional tangy lemon glaze, this cake strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tart—ideal for breakfast, afternoon tea, or dessert.
Ingredients
For the Loaf Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 1 tbsp to toss with raspberries)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Zest of 2 fresh lemons
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup whole milk (or almond milk), room temperature
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (if frozen, thawed and gently patted dry)
For the Lemon Glaze (Optional):
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Prep Equipment: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and 2 tbsp lemon juice.
Combine Batter: Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the wet mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.
Toss & Fold Raspberries: Toss raspberries in 1 tbsp of flour (to prevent them from sinking), then gently fold them into the batter using a spatula.
Bake: Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool & Glaze: Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice together to make the glaze; drizzle over the slightly cooled loaf before serving.
Notes
Prevent Sinking: Tossing raspberries in a tablespoon of flour suspends them evenly throughout the batter during baking.
Room Temp Ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature so the batter emulsifies smoothly without curdling.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Slice the cooled loaf and wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Gluten-Free Swap: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Cake / Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of loaf)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
Keywords: lemon raspberry loaf, lemon raspberry bread, lemon loaf cake, raspberry quick bread, lemon drizzle cake