Lemon Loaf
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This perfectly moist Lemon Loaf recipe is the perfect thing to add to your next brunch spread! Brushed with a lemon syrup then drizzled with lemon glaze, it’s packed with delicious lemon flavor.
I’ve recently realized that I hardly have any lemon recipes on my site. But, that changes today, starting with this lemon loaf.
Sure, there’s my lemon orzo salad and my baked lemon chicken thighs, but there aren’t any lemon-specific baked goods. Talk about a crime! There’s always my orange cake, another citrus-based dessert, but it’s not lemon.
I am truly, utterly obsessed with this lemon loaf recipe, and I know you will be too. It’s reminiscent of the Starbucks lemon loaf, but better because it’s homemade!
Recipe features
- The actual bread is made with both lemon juice and lemon zest, and then topped with a simple lemon syrup and glaze, so it’s bursting with lemon flavor!
- A deliciously moist bread recipe with the best texture that’s easy to whip up.
Ingredients
Butter – Unsalted and softened. Some recipes you can use coconut oil instead, but I wouldn’t recommend it for this one.
Sugar – Cane sugar. Or, sub coconut sugar or monkfruit for a less sweet tasting bread.
Eggs – I haven’t tested it myself, but I imagine flax eggs would work well to make this egg-free.
Greek yogurt – I love using Greek yogurt in baking because it helps to keep baked goods moist. Another good option is sour cream.
Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is the way to go for optimal lemon flavor.
Lemon zest – A must-have for any lemon loaf recipe!
Flour – I only tested this recipe with all purpose flour, but I assume gluten free 1:1 baking flour would work as well.
How to Make a Lemon Loaf
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together with a stand or hand mixer for about 2 minutes. Then, add the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
Step 2: Stir dry ingredients and combine. In a separate bowl, stir the all purpose flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt together. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and use a rubber spatula to gently fold them together. Pour the batter into a lined bread pan.
Step 3: Bake. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack. While the bread is baking, whisk the lemon syrup ingredients — lemon juice and powdered sugar — together in a small bowl. Brush the syrup overtop of the warm bread.
Step 4: Make the lemon glaze. Wait for the bread to cool completely before adding the glaze. Whisk lemon juice, milk and powdered sugar together, then drizzle it overtop of the bread. Wait a few minutes for the icing to dry a bit, then slice and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Parchment paper – I used to only spray my bread pans with nonstick spray, but now I always line them with parchment paper as well. Make sure to leave a 1″ overhang so the bread is easy to remove.
- Don’t over-mix the batter! Otherwise, the bread can become too dense.
- This bread can be made in a 9×5 or 8×4 inch loaf pan; I’d check it at the 45 minute mark either way.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Glaze – I recommend making the glaze as written, but it’s better for it to be slightly too thick and having to add a smidge more liquid than the other way around. If the glaze is too thin, it will completely run off the bread, which we don’t want.
Do I have to add the lemon syrup?
Definitely not. It adds extra lemon flavor, but you can only add the glaze if you prefer.
Storage
Room temperature – Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator – Or, store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezer – You can make this ahead of time and freeze it. To do so, wait for the bread to cool, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe bag. Be sure to add the glaze after the bread has be thawed to room temperature before you’re ready to eat it.
More easy bread recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Lemon Loaf
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the lemon syrup:
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
For the lemon icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease an 8×4 (or 9×5) loaf pan with nonstick spray or line the pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Then add in the eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Continue mixing until everything is combined, about 1 additional minute. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until just combined (do not overmix).
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top so the batter is in an even layer. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar for the lemon syrup. Once the loaf is on the wire rack, brush the entire loaf with the lemon syrup (this will allow the syrup to soak into the warm loaf). Let the loaf cool completely before icing.
- To make the lemon icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Pour the icing over the top of the loaf and let it dry before slicing. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
WOW! What a great recipe..
That loaf is the best of the best. I am soo happy that I found it or that it found me.Thank you so much for sharing. It is easy to make. Your instructions are perfect ,and you just made my Sunday a great one. I am checking out your other recipes right now ,and can’t wait to get more emails soon to find more awesome recipes.Thank you.
Cheers!
Charlotte
Thanks so much Charlotte! Glad you loved the lemon loaf!