Best Homemade Lemon Loaf
Best Homemade Lemon Loaf, is a delicious moist sweet bread recipe. Made with fresh lemons and a simple lemon glaze. No beaters necessary, just a couple of bowls and utensils! The perfect snack, dessert or even Breakfast Bread.
I love lemons. I love the smell of lemons, I love the taste of lemons, anything lemon is fine by me. When I was a young woman there was a lemon cologne my friends and I would wear, I loved it. Just wish I could find it again!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Butter
- Zest
- Eggs
- Milk
Glaze
- Juice
- Sugar
How to make the Lemon Loaf
Pre-heat the oven and grease a loaf pan.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and part of the sugar, add the softened butter and with a pastry blender or fork blend together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest.
In a small bowl add the eggs and beat lightly with a fork, add the milk and beat until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the flour is moistened. Do not over mix.
In prepared loaf pan add the batter and bake until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small pot add the lemon juice and sugar, over medium heat stirring constantly bring to a boil until thickened. With a pastry brush, brush syrup over the top of the cooled or even warmish bread.
It doesn’t even need a heavy icing because the light lemon syrup is the perfect finish. I can say I have been making this bread for over 20 years. Every time I make this recipe I get asked for it, Lemon Loaf is one of my sister-in-law’s favourites.
Lemon Bread is perfect as a breakfast bread or even with afternoon tea. It is so easy to make, no need for beaters, it is very much like making muffins. All you need is a fork or pastry blender, (or your clean fingers will do to make the coarse crumbs, and a wooden spoon or spatula for mixing.
Substituting a Lemon Glaze for the Lemon Syrup
The delicious lemony syrup is the perfect addition to this loaf, but if you prefer you can substitute with a simple lemon glaze. Mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon or milk or cream.
You want the glaze to be on the thick rather than thin. So you should start with 1 tablespoon of juice and go from there.
Gluten free flour
For GF version, a reader told me she uses King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
“It’s just as good as regular flour. I let the batter sit for ten minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture. It may need a few minutes less to bake”.
In my opinion this is one of the most delicious Lemon Loaves I have ever tried and I hope you think so too. Enjoy!
More Lemon Recipes you may like.
- Lemon Cheesecake Squares
- Italian Lemon Crostata
- Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake
- Easy Lemon Squares
- Tablespoon Italian Lemon Cake
Best Homemade Lemon Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon)
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt*
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup butter softened*
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk (whole or 2% milk)
*If you use salted butter then use a pinch of salt.
LEMON SYRUP
- 4 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius), grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 1/4 cups of sugar, add the softened butter and with a pastry blender or fork blend together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest.
- In a small bowl add the eggs and beat lightly with a fork, add the milk and beat until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the flour is moistened. Do not over mix.
- In prepared loaf pan add the batter and bake for approximately 60 minutes, (this all depends on the oven, could be a little more or a little less) or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool 15 – 20 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
LEMON SYRUP
- In a small pot add the 4 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar, over medium heat stirring constantly bring to a boil until thickened. With a pastry brush, brush syrup over the top of the cooled or even warmish bread. Enjoy!
Notes
What does stir just until moistened mean?
Mix just until moistened means to combine the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened but the mixture is still slightly lumpy. I stir 15-16 times only and it always turns out perfect.
Can I substitute the lemons?
If you wish you could substitute with either limes, oranges or even mandarines. Do use fresh rather than bottled they make a big difference in taste.Can I make muffins instead of a loaf?
Yes you can, I would probably bake for about 20-25 minutes, more or less, start to check after 20 minutes. Mix just until moistened means to combine the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened but the mixture is still slightly lumpy. I stir 15-16 times only and it always turns out perfect.Substitute for the lemon syrup
The delicious lemony syrup is the perfect addition to this loaf, but if you prefer you can substitute with a simple lemon glaze. Mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon or milk or cream.How to store the lemon bread
To store the bread, wrap the completely cooled bread well in plastic wrap, it will keep for up to 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 7 days in the fridge. To freeze it, wrap the completely cooled bread in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bread. If you freeze it glazed, let the glaze harden before wrapping. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.Nutrition
Updated from December 13, 2014.
.
It’s All About Pasta
Amazing pasta recipes to make your mouth water!
Authentic Italian Desserts
75 Traditional Desserts Made Easy
Hi Rosemary, thank you for this recipe! I’m eager to make it.
-Having several lactose intolerant people here at home, is lactose free milk alright to use?
-How about half and half (also available lactose free)? Would this make for greater richness?
Thanks again.
Hi Amanda, lactose free will work fine, I use lactose free a lot in recipes and I can never tell the difference. I don’t think half and half is necessary. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
FYI – for GF version, I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
It’s just as good as regular flour. I let the batter sit for ten minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture. It may need a few minutes less to bake. Grazie, Rosemary, for this fabulous recipe that my sister and I’ve been using since July 2020.
Hi Angela, thanks so much, I made a note of that in the post. Take care!
I have now made this bread twice. First was just for me and my significant other to make sure it came out right. It was fantastic! So, I made another for my neighbor who had gifted me 17 lemons from his lemon tree. This will definitely be a go to for something lemony. Thank you for this great recipe.
Hi Cheryl, thanks so much, so glad it was enjoyed by all. Take care!
This lemon loaf is so so good with minimal effort!! I doubled the lemon zest, and made a double batch of the lemon syrup for the top, and it was a real hit!! Look forward to making it again! Thank you!!
Hi Sunshine, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Hi Rosemary,
Love this recipe! Always a hit – can I make mini loaves and how long would you suggest baking time?
I’d love to share as gifts to neighbors.
I love so many of your recipes by the way!
Thank You!
Jill in CA
Hi Jill, thanks so much, yes you could make mini loaves, I would say 18-20 minutes, but check of course before you remove them from the oven. Take care and Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much! 😊🎄
This lemon bread is delicious! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you, Rosemary!
Hi Alyce, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care and have a great weekend!
I love that the recipe is pretty simple but the result is amazing! Thank you!
Hi Justin, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Hi!
Could this be made with gluten free flour?
Hi Becky, I have never made it with gluten free flour, but if you try let me know how it goes. Take care!
I tried it with almond flour and it was kind of a disaster 😭 the top part of the bread was great but the bottom was greasy and moist but in a bad way. Normally I make your lemon bread with normal flour but I was all out so tried almond flour. Never again! Otherwise, it comes out delicious!
Hi Jayci, thanks for sharing, glad you like it with regular flour. Take care!
This lemon bread is divine. I got really good reviews from friends that I shared it with 🙂 The glaze was also superb! Definitely trying out the syrup sometime!
Hi Christine, thanks so much, glad your friends enjoyed it. Take care!
Hi,
Other than the lemon syrup, I noticed there is no lemon juice in the ingredients just the lemon zest. Shouldn’t there be lemon juice in the ingredients – am I missing something??
Thank You!
Hi Walter, not in this bread, in fact lemon zest has more lemon flavour, it is more concentrated than lemon juice, if you want add more zest. Hope that helps. Take care!
Hi just made this for the first time it looks and smells so good, just out of the oven so I haven’t glazed it yet, lemons are my favourite in anything.
Thank from Pat in Canada 🇨🇦 PS my kitchen smells amazing.
Hi Pat, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe. I baked it in the morning and by afternoon it was all gone. I had to bake another one this evening. Lets hope it lasts until breakfast. Anyone subscribing to your site & loves lemon, has got to make this. Sooooo delicious.
Hi Fran, thanks so much, my sister in law goes crazy for this bread. Take care and have a great weekend!
Believe it or not, I had to make this again. 3 times in one week. Family can’t get enough.
Hi Fran, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care and have a wonderful Sunday!
Hi,Rosemary,
I haven’t tried this recipe yet. I was just wondering if it could also be baked in a bundt pan. Would the bake time be the same?
Susan
Hi Susan, yes it could be baked in a bundt pan (you might need a smaller pan), the time might be a bit less so keep your eye on it. Take care!
Looks like a lovely light and fluffy cake! Will try it tomorrow!
Do you bake it tomorrow in the middle or middle lower of the oven?
I always wonder about which level of the oven to bake for different recipes…
Thank you for your answer in advance!🙏🏻❤️
Hi Sophia, thanks so much, yes this is baked in the middle of the oven, I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
Thank you for your quick response, this really helps!
already made the muffins yesterday, and it was delicious, very light and fragrant! I will make the loaf for a friend’s mother today!
Actually I’ve used a varieties of of your recipes, they are all fantastic! Keep those wonderful recipes coming, and THANK YOU 🙏🏻❤️
Hi Sophia, glad to help, and thanks so much, glad you enjoy the recipes. I hope you enjoy the lemon bread also. Take care!
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to make it. Can I use Myer Lemons for this bread?
Hi Fran, thanks, I think you could, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it goes. Take care!