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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FAQs
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.
Yes you can, I would probably bake for about 20-25 minutes, more or less, start to check after 20 minutes.
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.
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.
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
Nutrition
Updated from December 13, 2014.
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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!
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!