Lemon Coconut Crush Loaf Cake

A soft lemon coconut loaf cake with a bright lemon flavour, gentle coconut crumb, and a simple glaze. An old favourite from my baking days, perfect for afternoon tea, sharing, or baking ahead.

When cakes were made early, packed up, and sent out to local cafés, lemon was always the one that had a quiet way of standing out. The scent would fill the kitchen long before it cooled, and people came back for it without needing to ask what it was. The crumb is soft, with coconut woven gently through it, and the lemon keeps everything bright and alive. Once glazed, it settles into a sweetness that never overwhelms. These days it is made a little more slowly. Sliced at the table, shared over tea, or wrapped up and saved for a quiet moment. A familiar recipe, brought forward. Still just as loved.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 60 min · Yield: Slices · Category: Baking

Ingredients

Lemon Coconut Crush Loaf Cake

• 200g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup milk

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Flaked coconut, for topping

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line an 11 x 21cm loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Add softened butter, caster sugar and lemon rind to a large mixing bowl. Beat until pale and creamy.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir through desiccated coconut.
5. Add self-raising flour, lemon juice and milk. Fold gently until just combined.
6. Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top.
7. Bake for 60–80 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil after about 45–50 minutes and continue baking until the centre is cooked through.
9. Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. To make the glaze, mix icing sugar with lemon juice until smooth and pourable.
11. Drizzle glaze over the cooled loaf and sprinkle with flaked coconut.
12. Optional - You can finish the loaf with a simple dusting of sifted icing sugar instead of the glaze. This is the version shown in the photo.

Notes

Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavour.

If your loaf tin is narrow or deep, the cake may take closer to 80 minutes to bake through.

Covering the loaf with foil helps protect the top while the centre finishes cooking.

Let the loaf cool before glazing so the icing sets instead of melting into the cake.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.

You can finish the loaf with a simple dusting of sifted icing sugar instead of the glaze. This is the version shown in the photo.

The Grace Table Tip

For a softer, more settled crumb, bake this loaf the day before serving. The lemon flavour deepens beautifully overnight.