Lemon Bread
intro
Tender, tangy glazed lemon quick bread with a soft moist crumb and bright sweet-tart flavor, perfect for snacking, light breakfasts, or homemade gifting.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) metal loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of softened unsalted butter, then line the pan bottom with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the long sides for easy loaf removal. Set the prepared pan aside.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 240 grams spooned-and-leveled all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt for 30 seconds until fully evenly combined. Set the dry ingredient mixture aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat 113 grams of softened unsalted butter and 200 grams granulated white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. Add the 2 room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition to fully incorporate, then stir in 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Mix the Batter in Batches
Alternate adding the dry flour mixture and 120 ml room-temperature whole milk to the butter mixture in 3 equal batches, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 10 seconds per batch, stopping as soon as no dry flour is visible (do not overmix, as this creates tough bread). Fold in 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of fresh lemon juice, then pour the smooth batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake the Loaf Until Done
Bake the loaf on the middle oven rack for 50 to 55 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center: it should come out with 2 to 3 moist crumbs attached, not wet batter and not completely clean (which indicates overbaking). Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool for an additional 20 minutes.
Prepare the Lemon Glaze
While the bread cools, make the glaze by whisking 120 grams powdered sugar and the remaining 50 ml (approximately 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) of fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until completely smooth, with a thick, pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm (not piping hot) loaf, letting it drip down the sides, then let the glaze set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips
2.Stop mixing the batter as soon as no dry flour remains: overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which will result in tough, chewy bread rather than the desired soft, moist crumb.
3.Zest your lemons before squeezing them for juice; it is very difficult to remove fine zest from a flattened, juiced lemon rind, and you risk scraping bitter white pith into your recipe.
OMG this lemon bread is SO good! I made it for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and every single slice was gone before I even got a second piece. The glaze is perfectly tart, not too sweet, and the crumb is so moist even on day three. Total game changer for quick breads in my house!
Tried this last night for my daughter’s soccer team snack and all the kids were begging for the recipe. It’s easy enough to throw together after work even when I’m exhausted, no fancy equipment needed. Will 100% be adding this to my regular baking rotation.
Super easy recipe for a beginner baker like me! I only messed up the glaze a tiny bit (added too much lemon juice at first oops) but it still turned out amazing. My roommates ate half the loaf before it even cooled all the way. Only note: make sure you zest the lemons before juicing them, duh, I almost forgot.
I’ve been making lemon bread for 40 years and this recipe is hands down the moistest one I’ve ever tried. I brought it to my church brunch and three of my friends asked for copies of the recipe. The glaze sets so nicely without getting sticky all over the plastic wrap, which is such a win for transporting.
Made this to take on a weekend camping trip and it held up perfectly in the cooler for three days. No sogginess, the lemon flavor was still bright, and it was the perfect quick breakfast before hitting the trails. I added a handful of poppy seeds for a little crunch and it worked so well!
Wait, can I make this ahead and freeze it? I do meal prep for the week on Sundays and would love to stash a loaf for busy school mornings. Also, does the glaze hold up if I freeze it, or should I add that after thawing?
Made this for my office potluck yesterday and so many people thought I bought it from a fancy bakery! I didn’t have buttermilk on hand so I used the old milk + lemon juice trick and it worked perfectly. So moist, not cloyingly sweet, just perfect lemon flavor.
Has anyone tried making this with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I’m gluten intolerant but dying to make this for my sister’s birthday brunch, lemon bread is her absolute favorite.
My teen son is obsessed with those Starbucks lemon loaves so I made this for him after school today. He said it’s way better than the coffee shop version! I let him help drizzle the glaze and he got it all over the counter but worth it. 10/10.
Help! My loaf came out a little dense in the middle, what did I do wrong? I followed the recipe exactly, I think? It still tasted good but the texture was off.
Added a handful of fresh blueberries to the batter before baking and it was chef’s kiss. The blueberries pair so well with the bright lemon flavor, I’m definitely doing that every time I make this from now on.
Y’ALL. I made this for my mother in law’s visit this weekend and she raved about it so much she asked for the recipe before she even left. She’s the pickiest eater I know, especially when it comes to baked goods, so this is a major win. The glaze is so tangy and the bread stays moist for DAYS, I can’t get over it.
How long does this stay good for on the counter? I want to make it on Sunday to have for quick breakfasts throughout the week but I don’t want it to go bad before Friday. Should I store it in the fridge?
This is legit the best lemon bread I’ve ever made. I doubled the glaze because I’m a glutton for that sweet-tart kick, and I don’t regret it one bit. My whole house smelled like fresh lemons while it was baking, it was heavenly.
Made this for my book club meeting last night and everyone was raving. We paired it with iced tea and it was the perfect light dessert for our summer get-together. I will say, the 1 hour 10 minute cook time was spot on, I didn’t have to adjust my oven temp at all which is rare for my old apartment oven!