Lemon Coconut Loaf
This lemon coconut loaf is super moist and yummy, and can be served as a sweet snack or dessert. It’s flavored with lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and topped with a sweet lemon icing. Top it with cream cheese frosting for an extra rich treat! With the addition of sour cream, this loaf bakes up so tender and velvety, it’s like a lemon coconut cake in a loaf form. It can be easily made with or without coconut. It’s one of my very most favorite lemon treats to enjoy, and I’m sure you’ll love it too!
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When it’s citrus season, all I can think about is baking with lemon, lemon, lemon! If you love citrus recipes like I do, you HAVE TO make this lemon coconut loaf cake! Today! It’s definitely an indulgent recipe, so if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, you may want to try my Lemon Blueberry Olive Oil Loaf with Ricotta.
You can use this lemon coconut loaf as a base to make the Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake – it’s incredible! It’s also very similar to my Orange Dream Poundcake, which has an orange zested flavor instead. And if lemon is really your thing, my Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls need to be on your to-bake list as well!
Why I love this recipe
Where do I even begin?!
- Easy to make, fool proof recipe.
- FULL of lemon flavor (a great way to use up lemons if you have a tree).
- The velvety texture is irresistible.
- Can be made with or without coconut (for picky eaters).
- Can also be topped with Cream Cheese Frosting to make it more of a dessert.
- Versatile – add your favorite berries to the batter for a yummy variation.
- Easily make mini loaves – perfect for a bridal/baby shower, breakfast or brunch, or to give as a sweet gift.
- Freezes really well.
Can I make this without coconut?
I almost don’t believe it, but not everyone likes coconut. Chances are, if you clicked on this post, you’re a coconut fan. But some of us have picky eaters that just don’t love it. The great thing about this recipe is that there is no coconut flavoring in the batter. The only coconut comes from the sprinkles added on top, making it super easy to adjust if you’re sharing with picky eaters.
Don’t worry! By leaving the coconut off, you’ll still end up with an amazing loaf that could rival any Starbucks lemon pound cake recipe out there!
Ingredients
You’ll most likely have most of these items in your pantry, but there are a few special ingredients that make this recipe extra yummy.
- All-Purpose Flour: It’s the base of the recipe and gives it structure. If you want to make this a gluten free recipe, you can swap it out with 1:1 flour. Just know the texture will be different.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: This is where much of the lemon flavor will come from. It’s in both the loaf batter and the lemon icing. I find there is enough lemon flavor with these two fresh ingredients that there’s no need to add lemon flavoring. Fresh lemon juice is much more flavorful that bottled lemon juice.
- Sour Cream: This adds an extra tender and spongy texture to the lemon loaf. The flavor also gives it a slight tang. If you like, you can also swap this out with plain Greek yogurt. I add this to my Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins and my Banana Crumble Bread too!
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes: Since the bread is already sweet, use unsweetened coconut flakes for the topping. You’ll get a subtle hint of coconut flavor without it being overwhelmingly sweet. You can also use coconut shavings which have a really pretty look.
Steps for making a Lemon Coconut Loaf
- PREP. Zest and juice the lemons. Get the butter, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature by leaving them out for about 30 minutes before mixing.
- MIX. Using an electric mixer is key to getting a loaf that bakes up super fluffy, with a velvety texture that doesn’t fall apart. It’s important to get the butter and sugar creamed really well before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- BAKE. Be sure to check the center of the loaf before removing it from the oven. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean. The crust will be a deep golden brown color.
- ICE: Wait until the loaf has completely cooled before icing it with the yummy lemon icing, then top with the coconut flakes.
Baker’s Tips
This recipe comes together so easy, but I have a few helpful tips to make it a breeze.
- After you’ve creamed together the sugar and butter, added the lemon zest, eggs, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, you’ll notice the mixture will kind of separate. Don’t panic. It will all come together once the flour mixture is added.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times throughout mixing. Any bits of unincorporated butter can be hiding and cause some problems during baking.
- It’s easier to remove the lemon loaf from the pans if you line them with parchment paper. I use a binder clip to keep it in place. Did you know you can bake with that clip on and it won’t melt? It’s magical and makes it so much easier to lift that loaf out of the pan.
- Wait until the loaf has completely cooled before icing – it’s the best way for the icing to set up and not melt into the loaf. So much of the lemon flavor comes from the lemon icing, so be generous.
- Sprinkle the coconut flakes on the icing while it’s still wet. The icing can set quickly so have it nearby when you’re icing your lemon bread.
- I find it helpful to ice the loaves on a wire cooling rack with a piece of parchment underneath to catch the icing as it drips.
FAQs
This lemon coconut loaf is so moist and tender, it will stay fresh for several days when stored in an airtight bag or container.
Yes! I prefer to freeze it without the icing and coconut. You can add the toppings to it after defrosting. To freeze, I’d suggest wrapping it with plastic wrap and placing in a freezer zip top bag. When you are ready to enjoy, just take it out of the freezer the night before you’d like to serve it. It will stay good frozen for up to 8 weeks.
Yes. I’ve made it with blueberries or raspberries. You can use your favorite, either fresh or frozen fruit. I’d suggest using frozen as it’s less messy when incorporating it into the batter. Keep in mind, you’ll be increasing the volume of your batter – only fill your pan 2/3 full.
Yes. In fact, I prefer to make mini loaves for this recipe. It bakes faster and feels less indulgent. Plus, mini lemon coconut loaves make the sweetest teacher gifts or neighbor gifts! When baking mini loaves, you’ll get about 4-5 out of this recipe. Mini loaf pans are 5.25 x 3 x 2.25 inches. Reduce the bake time by about 10 minutes, or until the centers are done.
I’d suggest checking the loaves about 2/3 into the bake time. If the tops are getting too brown, you can lightly cover the tops of the loaves with aluminum foil. But keep in mind, it is normal for the crust to be a deep golden color.
Make and share
These lemon coconut loaves can be served for so many things – for breakfast, brunch, a sweet snack, or delicious dessert. They are so perfect for Springtime treats, especially around Easter. They make the sweetest treats to share too! I know you’ll love this recipe! Be sure to leave a comment when you try it and share it to your social media. Tag me @thatbreadlady, so that I can share your beautiful bakes with my readers! Enjoy!
More lemon recipes to try
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
Lemon Blueberry Olive Oil Loaf
Lemon Coconut Loaf
Equipment
- 2 standard loaf pans 8 x 4 inches or 8.5 x 4.5 inches, optional
- 5 mini loaf pans 5.75 x 2.25 inches, optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest about 2 lemons
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest about 1 lemon
Topping
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar using the paddle attachment. Mix on medium low speed for two minutes until light and fluffy. Stop mixer at least once to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Be sure there are no clumps of unmixed butter.
- Add the lemon zest and combine.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until combined. (Mixture may separate a bit, but it will come together when flour is added)
- Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix on low speed for an additional one minute.
- Grease loaf pans generously with nonstick spray, or line pans with parchment paper. Spoon batter into pans, filling two-thirds full.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until center is done – an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Mini loaf sizes will need less bake time (closer to 45 minutes). Full size loaves will need more bake time (closer to 60 minutes). All ovens bake differently so be sure to keep an eye on it. If the tops are browning too much, loosely cover them with aluminum foil and bake until centers are done.
- Let bread cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, milk and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add just enough milk to get a thick consistency.
- Drizzle the lemon icing over the loaves after they have completely cooled. Sprinkle coconut shavings on top before icing sets. The icing should set within 20 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Each oven bakes differently. When making this recipe for the first few times, check the bread about 10 minutes before suggested bake time. Rotate pans if oven is baking with hot spots. Cover loosely with foil if bread is browning too much before it’s baked all the way through – this will prevent it from browning too much while it continues to bake the center.
- You can freeze loaves for later use. Freeze before icing. When thawing out the loaves, take them out of the freezer the night before and let thaw on counter. Ice about 30-60 minutes before serving.
- You can replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
- I’ve use this sweet bread for the Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake and it is amazing! Slice a thick piece of lemon coconut bread, top with whipped cream and strawberries! It’s so yummy!
Nutrition
Any ideas about how to do a dairy free version of this? ????????????
You can use a non dairy milk to replace the sour cream in the bread recipe. It won’t have as tight of a crumb, but it will still be delicious! For the glaze, replace the milk with lemon juice…just be sure to get a thick glaze consistency so that it will set up nicely on top of that lemon bread! Let me know how it turns out!
Can I use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and still get good results?
Hi Carrie,
Yes absolutely! I’ve used plain and vanilla flavor. Either works great. If you use vanilla, I would use half the vanilla extract.