Lemon Bread

Starting your day with a fresh, flavorful breakfast can set the tone for everything that follows. This week, I baked a delicious lemon bread that perfectly balances sweet and tart notes. It’s a simple recipe that fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma.

The recipe is from the Feel Good Foodie site. I did make some changes listed below in the recipe. I did not add the glaze after baking. For our tastes, it was fine without it.

I beat the lemon sugar and eggs for about 5 minutes before adding the other wet ingredients. My Aunt Marie always said doing this would add more volume to the batter. It always seems to work.

Ingredients-

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp lemon zest

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup Whole Milk Greek yogurt, room temperature

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

Method-

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, place the sugar and lemon zest and use your fingers to rub them together until well blended and fragrant. 

Add the eggs and beat with a mixer for 5 minutes.

Add the yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no streaks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 

If necessary, tent the pan with foil after 45 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too much.

Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack before slicing.

Tips for Perfect Lemon Bread Every Time

• Use room temperature ingredients: This helps the batter mix evenly and results in a better texture.

• After adding the dry ingredients don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing can make

  the bread dense and tough. Mix just until ingredients are combined.

• Check for doneness early: Ovens vary, so start checking your bread at 50 minutes. If the toothpick comes out with wet batter, bake a little longer.

• Store properly: Keep leftover lemon bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

  
  

Variations to Try

Once you master the basic lemon bread, you can experiment with different add-ins and twists:

• Blueberry lemon bread: Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter for a fruity burst.

• Poppy seed lemon bread: Add 1-2 tablespoons of poppy seeds for a subtle crunch and nutty flavor.

• Lemon almond bread: Mix in sliced almonds or almond extract for a richer taste.

These variations keep the recipe fresh and let you customize it to your preferences.