Here’s a bright, moist Cranberry Lemon Loaf Cake 🍋🍒—tangy, sweet, and perfect for holidays or everyday baking.
Ingredients
For the loaf:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, don’t thaw)
- 1 tbsp flour (to toss cranberries)
For the lemon glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
- Toss cranberries with 1 tbsp flour to prevent sinking.
3. Cream butter & sugar
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
4. Combine
- Mix in lemon juice and sour cream.
- Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in cranberries.
5. Bake
- Pour batter into pan and smooth top.
- Bake 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer to a rack.
6. Glaze
- Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled loaf.
Tips & Variations
- Extra lemony: Brush loaf with warm lemon syrup (2 tbsp lemon juice + 2 tbsp sugar) before glazing.
- Orange twist: Swap lemon juice/zest for orange.
- Nutty: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Make muffins: Bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes.
This loaf is tender, zesty, and beautifully balanced between sweet and tart.
If you want, I can also give you a glazed cranberry-orange version, a cream cheese swirl, or a lighter yogurt-based loaf.
