Spring is here and what better flavor than lemon loaf to kick it off! It has been a hot minute since I picked up a baking pan or my stand mixer!
Today’s Lavender Lemon Loaf is a perfect, not too sweet, elegant dessert that will impress anyone! If you like lemon baking, definitely check out my blueberry lemon scones as well. There’s no better flavor for spring!
This lavender-lemon loaf cake is SO moist, so fragrant, and so delicious! I truly don’t think there’s anyone out there who wouldn’t like this cake. It’s not too sweet, yet has enough refreshing lemon zest and fragrance to make you want an extra bite. The glaze is soft and adds even more refreshing sweetness. The only thing that can make this loaf better is a cup of Earl Grey tea!
Now, you can obviously just jump below and read the recipe without seeing my notes on steps, but I highly recommend reading if the tips and tricks before jumping in.
It’s worth mentioning there are certain substitutes that aren’t worth it in this recipe and others that make zero difference.
I tried making this lavender lemon loaf with different fat-bases (olive oil, butter, sunflower oil, and vegetable oil). My personal favorite was definitely vegetable oil, it didn’t overpower the already delicate scent of lavender and lemon. I found the other alternatives were both too heavy and too taste-forward with their oil types, and butter just weighed it down too much.
The other non-negotiable I would say in this recipe is eggs – there’s just no way around it for me. Without eggs this loaf just can’t exist as I currently have it. I tried applesauce and it was just a mushy disaster. Eggs give this loaf structure and expand it nicely to have beautiful aeration inside. I couldn’t find anything that can replace them. In case you’re wondering, I did not add any food coloring to my loaf. All that beautiful yellow was from farm-fresh eggs that had a gorgeous orange yolk. But if you want the same yellow effect, you are welcome to add 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring.
On the other hand I think that the sour cream and yogurt made no difference between one another. Moreover, I used full fat yogurt, so that the resemblance to sour cream was kept. I think to balance out the very light oil, you need some substance to give you that deeper moisture to the loaf.
As you can see my lemon loaf cracked quite a lot – I will say this was intentional! I wanted a rustic look to my loaf as my first few cake tries were flat on the top and looked a bit too boring for my taste. The way to achieve this is to raise your oven temperature higher (I have a gas range and set to 400 degrees, versus my 325 the first few times I tried this). If you want a smooth top for a more “clean” look, just lower your temperature and increase bake time.
My glaze is a bit of a fluke as I got the flavor perfect on first try – believe me this never happens. Though I was impatient and should have given the lemon loaf about 5 more minutes of cool time, hence some drips…oops!
The trick for me was mixing 50/50 icing sugar, and royal icing. I always find icing sugar to taste soapy, no matter what brand, storage or what liquid I mix in. With the royal icing, I felt like I had zero soapy taste, and just really nice thick and glossy glaze that absorbed lemon juice very well.
Also, I did add 1 drop of purple, gel food coloring in to give it that visual “oomph”! But as a whole, it’s just icing sugar, royal icing, some lemon juice, and hot water. Nothing more to it!
Lastly, make sure to use culinary lavender when making this recipe, as having non-culinary grade may result in stems and leaves not fully sifted out. It really does make a difference, and the price isn’t drastically different. In my case I grew my own lavender, dried, and sifted it. What’s more, is that was also because I learned the technique from a lavender farm professional. If you want to save yourself the trouble, just look for the description of “culinary” versus “crafting” lavender.
The Recipe
Lemon Lavender Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Lavender Loaf
- ¾ cup vegetable oil see notes
- 1 tbsp lemon zest approx. 2 lemons
- 1 tsp lavender culinary grade
- 2 ½ cup AP flour
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup yogurt or sour cream
- ⅔ cup lemon juice approx. 2 lemons
Lavender Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 cup royal icing
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lavender culinary grade
- 3-4 drops purple food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Prep 20 mins before
- In a small saucepan heat vegetable oil (avoid use of sunflower or olive oil as they will alter the taste too much – canola, avocado, corn oil, and coconut oil are all good options) and culinary grade lavender (make sure you use cooking grade, which just means it has no extra husks or sticks). Allow oil to get hot but not sizzling, and turn off heat for 20 mins with a lid on. This will "bloom" your lavender, and infuse it with the oil.
- Strain into any cup, and let cool.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F (if you want a smoother top to your loaf, reduce to 325-350 depending on oven and extend bake time in the end until skewer comes out clean). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper as well as add some buttered sides.
- In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat together sugar and lemon zest until the sugar takes on a yellow color.
- One at a time add the eggs, allowing each to incorporate. Beat on high to allow eggs to fluff up the mixture. Followed by the cooled lavender oil in a slow drizzle.
- Reduce mixer speed, and add salt, flour, sugar, and baking powder gradually. If the dough starts to look too thick, add the lemon juice, followed by the yogurt.
- Mix until the batter looks fully incorporated and smooth.
- Pour into your loaf pan and continue to bake for about 1 ½ hours (depending on the temperature you chose, and your oven).
- Once a skewer comes out clean from the center, the loaf is ready. Allow it to cool completely before glazing.
Glaze
- In a bowl combine both royal icing and confectioner's sugar, and start by adding lemon juice, and hot water and vanilla gradually. Do not over-add liquids. Add only 1 tsp at a time.
- Once the glaze looks smooth, and resembles honey, feel free to add food coloring if you wish. I do not advise mixing red and blue coloring as it will look more brown, but actually use purple if you have it on hand.
- Sprinkle culinary lavender on top (optional).
