Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

Recipe posted in: Breakfasts, Flex Meals & Snacks, Snacks, Desserts
Sliced iced lemon loaf cake on a wooden plate on top of a brown table

When life gives you lemons, make an Iced Lemon Loaf Cake! Our lightened-up recipe for this spring and summer classic features wholesome ingredients and a whole lot of lemony flavor.

Stick to your healthy diet while satisfying your sweet cravings with this citrus delight. It’s perfect with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or as a sweet dessert after dinner. Cake for breakfast? Count us in! Be sure to bookmark this recipe for lemon loaf cake so that you always have a healthy idea ready when your sweet tooth calls!

This recipe was inspired by the Iced Lemon Loaf from Starbucks. This popular treat from the chain coffee shop clocks in at 450 calories per serving with 19 grams of fat, 63 grams of carbohydrates, one gram of dietary fiber and six grams of protein.*

Our perfectly portioned version is 245 calories per serving with 13 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbohydrates, three grams of dietary fiber and six grams of protein. Yes, you read that right: It has the same amount of protein as the version from Starbucks but with more fiber and fewer calories, fat and carbs!

How to Make Our Recipe for Lemon Loaf Cake

This scrumptious Iced Lemon Loaf Cake is delicate, moist and flavorful thanks to a few healthy ingredient swaps: whole wheat pastry flour, almond flour, nonfat plain Greek yogurt and honey are just a few of the wholesome ingredients in this easy lemon dessert.

Get started by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and line a bread pan with parchment paper. Make sure to grease it with nonstick spray, too! Next, whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. These include eggs, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, honey, unsweetened applesauce, melted refined coconut oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Add in whole wheat pastry flour, blanched almond flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour the finished batter into your bread pan and pop it in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the Lemon Loaf Cake at least 30 minutes to cool before adding the icing. 

We top this citrusy loaf with a three-ingredient lemon icing to make it even more sweet and special. Simply mix together melted coconut oil, lemon juice and honey. Place the mixture into the freezer for three minutes to harden slightly, then pour it onto the Lemon Loaf Cake. Let it cool slightly to allow the icing to harden a bit before slicing and serving this lemony treat.

Logging Your Iced Lemon Loaf Cake

This spring-inspired dessert recipe makes 12 servings. As we already mentioned, each serving is 245 calories. Losing weight on Nutrisystem? You can log a slice of this Iced Lemon Loaf Cake as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel and one Extra in your NuMi app.

Haven’t tried out NuMi yet? This easy-to-use online food tracker is the perfect companion to your Nutrisystem program! Easily log your daily food intake, water, physical activity and weight loss progress in one organized place. You can even shop for your favorite Nutrisystem foods and participate in fun challenges. Learn more about how NuMi can help you achieve your goals here! >

Healthy Hacks

Add some healthy additions to this Iced Lemon Loaf Cake to pump up the flavor and nutrition. Make a Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake by adding some fresh blueberries to the top after baking, or mash them up into the icing for a beautiful blue hue. You could even enjoy a half-cup of fresh blueberries on the side. Berries count towards your daily SmartCarbs, so be sure to keep track of them in NuMi!

Poppy seeds and lemons are another perfect pairing. Sprinkle them on top as a garnish or incorporate them into the batter. Poppy seeds can be counted towards your daily Extras or PowerFuels depending on the amount you add. Other tasty additions include unsweetened coconut flakes, chopped walnuts or low-fat whipped cream.

Finally, if you want to give this spring dessert a summer-inspired twist, feel free to swap out lemons for limes to make an Iced Lime Loaf Cake! Simply use lime juice and zest instead, then pair a slice with a side of fresh strawberries. Yum!

More Healthy Lemon Recipes

Looking for more lemony treats? Check out these other healthy citrus recipes you’ll love!:

No time for baking? Stock up on sweet lemon snacks from Nutrisystem! Enjoy the bright and citrusy flavor of lemons in a perfectly portioned, easy to enjoy package with our Lemon Zest Cake and Lemon Cooler Cookie. Get started with a Nutrisystem meal delivery service.

*Information taken from company website on 3/8/2022.

Servings: 12

Calories per Serving: 245

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

Ingredients:

  • Lemon Loaf Cake
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
  • 3 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
  • 3-Ingredient Lemon Icing
  • 1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Lemon Loaf Cake
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a bread pan with parchment paper and grease it with nonstick spray.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, honey, applesauce, coconut oil, lemon juice and zest.
  4. Add in flours and baking powder.
  5. Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before adding the icing.
  6. 3-Ingredient Lemon Icing
  7. Mix together the melted coconut oil, lemon juice and honey.
  8. Place the mixture into the freezer for 3 minutes to harden slightly.
  9. Pour the icing onto the Lemon Loaf Cake. Let it cool slightly to allow the icing to harden.
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