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Copycat of Starbucks Lemon Bread

A Starbucks favorite that you can copycat in your own kitchen. Recipe shared with me by a friend. Delicious with a cup of fresh-brewed coffee.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 5551.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer With paddle attachment for efficient batter mixing
  • 2 Loaf Pans Standard size, approximately 9x5 inches
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For whisking the glaze
  • 1 Whisk For preparing the smooth lemon glaze
  • 1 Wire Cooling Rack Essential for even cooling and preventing sogginess

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 18.25 ounce package yellow cake mix
  • 2 2.9 ounce packages non-instant lemon pudding mix
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • ½ cup milk
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or more to taste

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 loaf pans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and 6 tablespoons lemon juice into bowl of stand mixer; beat for 2 minutes and pour into prepared loaf pans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely on a wire rack. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Whisk confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice together in a bowl until smooth; spoon evenly over the loaves and let set before slicing, about 30 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

For an intensified lemon flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest to the batter along with the wet ingredients. Ensure all cold ingredients (eggs, sour cream, milk) are at room temperature; this helps create a smoother, more emulsified batter, resulting in a finer crumb. Avoid overmixing the batter once dry ingredients are incorporated; mix just until combined to prevent a tough texture. Monitor baking closely; the 'toothpick test' is key, as overbaking leads to a dry loaf. Always allow loaves to cool completely on a wire rack before glazing; applying glaze to warm bread will cause it to melt and run off, rather than set properly.