Raspberry Lemon Loaf

Name: Raspberry Lemon Loaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup (170 g) plain Greek yogurt (note 1); 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar; 1/2 cup (118 ml) neutral oil (vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.), plus more to grease pan; 3 large eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or lemon extract; 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour (measured by weight or with spoon and level method); 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 3/4 cups (227 g/8 ounces) raspberries, rinsed and dried well (note 2); 1 heaping tablespoon (5 g) lemon zest (from about 1 1/2 lemons); 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar; 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest

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This raspberry lemon loaf is so easy to make, all in one bowl (minus the optional glaze)! Raspberries, lemon zest, and Greek yogurt give this loaf cake its delightfully tangy flavor. This moist raspberry loaf cake is perfect for dessert, as a snack, or even breakfast.

raspberry loaf cake garnished with raspberries and lemon slices.

Raspberries and lemon are such a lovely pairing; the tanginess of the raspberries is enhanced even further by the bright citrus notes of the lemon.

These two fresh flavors come together beautifully in this simple loaf cake that you can make all in one bowl (not counting the 3-ingredient glaze).

The special ingredient in this cake is Greek yogurt - it adds moisture to the cake and even more complex flavor!

Love raspberries as much as I do?

Try some of my other favorite raspberry recipes: raspberry ricotta parfaits, raspberry oatmeal, or berry butter!

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Recipe ingredients
Step by step photos
Tips and tricks
Storage instructions
Recipe FAQs
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📖 Recipe

Recipe ingredients

ingredients for raspberry lemon loaf with text labels.

Ingredient notes

Lemons: you will need lemon zest for the cake itself, and lemon zest and a little lemon juice for the glaze. All together, you will need about 2 lemons to get enough zest.
Vanilla or lemon extract: either vanilla or lemon extract will work in this recipe; it's up to you whether you want even more lemon flavor from lemon extract, or the warmer, sweet notes from vanilla.
Greek yogurt: I prefer to use full-fat Greek yogurt because it adds more richness to the cake. But if you want to reduce the fat in the cake, low-fat or fat-free can also be used.

Step by step photos

Here's how to make this easy raspberry lemon loaf cake, step by step!

wet ingredients for raspberry loaf cake in bowl with whisk.

Step 1: Add the Greek yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla (or lemon) extract to a large bowl. Whisk together to combine.

Step 2: Add the flour on top of the wet ingredients, and then sprinkle on the salt and baking powder. Whisk just to combine, do not overmix!

Top Tip

When whisking the batter, stop once all the flour has been moistened. There should still be some lumps left in the batter. If you overmix, the cake won't be as tender!

raspberries and lemon zest on top of cake batter in bowl.

Step 3: Tear about half of the raspberries in half, and then add them to the batter. Add in the remaining berries whole. Also add the lemon zest.

cake batter with raspberries mixed in in bowl.

Step 4: With a wooden spoon, stir the raspberries and zest into the batter gently, just until combined.

raspberry loaf cake batter being spread out in loaf pan.

Step 5: Add the batter to a greased loaf pan and bake until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (There should be no wet batter, but some moist crumbs are ok!)

baked raspberry lemon loaf cooling on wire rack.

Step 6: Once the cake is done baking, let it cool in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes. Then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7: While the cake is cooling, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together to make the glaze.

lemon glaze being spread over loaf cake.

Step 8: Spread the glaze over the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides. You can eat the cake right away, or, allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes or so.

Tips and tricks

You need lemon zest for both the cake and the glaze, so to save time, you can zest enough for both when making the cake batter. (Only do this if you are planning on glazing the cake right away however.)

For best results, it's important to measure the flour correctly. For the most accurate measurement, I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour.

If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the "spoon and level" method to more accurately measure the flour by volume. If you scoop out the flour using the measuring cup instead, you will get too much flour and the cake will be dry.

You can adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more or less lemon juice. Start with less liquid and add a few drops at a time until you are happy with the consistency. If you want a thinner glaze but don't want it too tart, you can also add a few drops of water instead of more lemon juice.

Storage instructions

To store the cake, first remove any fresh fruit garnishes. Then, wrap the cake in plastic wrap (once the glaze is fully set), or, use a cake cover/dome. At room temperature, the cake will keep for 2 - 3 days.

You can also freeze the raspberry lemon loaf for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. For convenience, freeze the cake in individually-wrapped slices.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen raspberries for the cake?

Yes, you can definitely use frozen raspberries to make this lemon and raspberry loaf cake. Just use an equal volume by weight for most accurate results. And, throw the raspberries in straight from the freezer. You may need to add in a few extra minutes to the bake time, but otherwise, follow the recipe instructions as written.

How do I make sure the cake is tender?

To make sure the raspberry loaf cake is tender, it's very important to measure the flour accurately. If you add too much flour, the cake will be drier. For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour.

Another important step is to not overmix the batter. Stop whisking the batter once all the flour is moistened. There will still be lumps in the batter and that is ok!

Finally, be sure not to overbake the cake. If the cake stays in the oven too long it can get dry. So, check the cake at the earlier time and add a little more time as needed until the top of the cake is just firm.

Do I need to use room-temperature ingredients?

Because this raspberry lemon loaf doesn't have any butter that could curdle from cold eggs or yogurt, you can use these ingredients straight from the fridge.

slices of raspberry lemon loaf on plates.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or review in the comments section below, I would love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. And sign up for my weekly newsletter to get recipes delivered straight to you!