Delicious Lemon Lime Loaf
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This delicious lemon-lime loaf is perfectly moist, with lots of citrus flavor and a thick layer of sweet, lemony icing. It’s almost impossible to eat just one piece!
This lemon-lime loaf is one of those cakes that somehow feel both rich and light at the same time. The crumb is soft and dense in the best way, with bright citrus flavor running through every slice without becoming overly sweet. It’s the kind of loaf that disappears quickly whenever I make it.
The real magic, though, is in the icing. Instead of pouring on one thin glaze that slides right off the loaf, I build it up in layers, letting each one set before adding the next. It creates a thick, citrusy icing that clings to the cake so you get a little with every bite. If you’re an icing person, this technique is a total game-changer.
Fresh citrus is absolutely key here. Fresh lemon and lime juice — plus plenty of zest — give the loaf its bright, punchy flavor, while bottled juice just doesn’t deliver the same freshness. When the citrus is good, the whole cake tastes vibrant, buttery, and perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy.
Store and freeze
How long will lemon lime loaf last? It will last 2-3 days covered in the fridge before it starts to dry out.
Can I freeze lemon lime loaf? Cakes freeze well. Place the lemon-lime loaf in an airtight container and in the freezer. It will last up to 3 months.
Lemon Lime Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup plain yogurt
- Zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
The Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Lemon and lime zest (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the inside of a loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and yogurt, lemon and lime zest, and lemon and lime juice and beat until everything is thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds.½ cup salted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, ⅔ cup plain yogurt, Zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add it to the large bowl and beat the batter just until everything comes together.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a cooling rack.
The Icing
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, lemon and lime juice, and a tiny pinch of sea salt. If you would like it a little thinner, you can add a small splash of water. If you prefer your icing a little thicker, you can add a touch more powdered sugar.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 pinch sea salt
- Once the loaf is completely cool, pour ⅓ of the icing over top and let it drip down the sides. Wait for the icing to begin to harden, about 10 minutes, then pour over another ⅓. Once the second layer has begun to harden you can pour over the remaining icing.
- As soon as you pour the third layer of icing on the cake sprinkle the top with a little lemon and lime zest.Lemon and lime zest
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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Would it be possible to double or even triple this recipe? I’m looking for something for a church bake sale and I have a surplus of lemons and limess
Definitely! You can triple the recipe then divide it between three loaf pans. Just make sure to bake them at the same time (not wait for one to finish then bake the next) as the baking powder will lose its effectiveness if not baked within about 15 minutes after mixing it with liquid. Enjoy!
This turned out amazing!!! I had a bag of limes I needed to use up and I actually substituted the plain yogurt for key lime flavored greek yogurt! I also used all lime juice and no lemon. My husband who doesn’t like sweets ate a whole piece and said was delicious. I also baked at 320 in a 9×5 loaf pan so it was go low and slow and not burn the edges before middle got done but that might just be my oven. Excellent recipe!!
Made this super delicious loaf yesterday. My husband and I give it two thumbs up as an easy to bake recipe and for taste! Only had one additional question, what size of loaf pan do you recommend to use for this recipe? Your instructions in the recipe state ‘in a loaf pan?’ I have two different sized loaf pans. I used the larger one which is 9 x 5″ because I wasn’t certain if the smaller one (8 x 4″) would be too small. Thank you again for this recipe — it is so worth making this loaf again and again.
We tested this recipe in an 8×4″ loaf pan!
Absolutely delicious!! So fresh and flavorful. Def adding to my dessert recipes!
How long can you store this for? Thanks
This will keep well for 2-3 days before it starts to dry out. If you want to store it longer, wrap it tightly and store it in the freezer.
OMG I feel like I have to try this cake asap! I am such a fan of lemon.. I could eat anything with lemon.. ?
Is there a substitute for egg?
I’ve never tried an egg substitute so I can’t say if it would work. If you’re up to experimenting, you could try a flax egg, but I can’t guarantee the results.
Hi can you freeze this cake please
Most cakes freeze very well so I suspect that this one will, too. 🙂
Thank you so much for making this recipe available online and for free. It is simply delicious and so quick to make – the whole family loves it and we can;t stop eating it!! Thanks again Deb
You’re so welcome, Deb!
Love it but there was a tiny problem with the icing it was really runny even though I followed the receipt and kept adding powder sugar it only got sweeter not thicker but I love the bread part !
Excellent recipe. Lovely and tangy and also very moist!
Thanks, Dave!
Easy bake.
Followed the 1/3 drizzle and all it does is removed the previous layer even when leaving for longer than stated. I have icing all over my work surface. Hope it tastes better than it looks
Did you wait for the first layer to dry before adding more? That’s the trick to getting a double layer. 🙂
The person said they left the icing “longer than stated.”
My only guess is that the icing took longer to dry than mine normally does. When I’ve done this trick, as long as I wait until the first layer is dry to the touch, the second layer doesn’t ‘melt’ off the first layer. 🙂