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You’ll love this easy Lemon Bread is made in one bowl with three simple steps. It’s soft, moist and packed with lemon flavor. Add a simple lemon glaze for even more flavor.
If you love quick bread recipes, you’ll also love my Cinnamon Sugar Bread.
The Easiest Lemon Bread Recipe
You are going to love this Lemon bread, seriously. It’s bursting with fresh lemon flavor between the lemon juice, lemon zest and a touch of lemon extract. It’s super moist with a soft and tender crumb. Plus, if you like to add a little sweetness, you can make a simple lemon glaze for the top.
This recipe could not be easier! You’ll need just one bowl to make the bread and one bowl for the glaze. It comes together in less than 15 minutes. These are my favorite type of recipes to make.
Enjoy this for breakfast or brunch with a cup of coffee or for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I also love gifting these types of breads for holidays or hostess gifts.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- Lemon, zested
- Lemon extract
Sour cream substitute: Sour cream helps keeps this bread super moist, so don’t skip it! If you don’t have sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt. Sour cream can be full, reduced or fat-free.
Lemon extract: Lemon extract gives an extra punch of lemon flavor, but if you don’t have it, just add 1 teaspoon additional lemon juice
How to Make a Quick Lemon Bread
This recipe could not be easier to make! You only need one bowl to mix the batter.
- Combine the dry ingredients
- Add the wet ingredients
- Bake and cool
Easy Lemon Glaze
You can serve this bread with or without a glaze. Adding a glaze with add a little bit of sweetness. If you are planning to serve this bread the day after you make it, then I would recommend adding the glaze the day you are serving and allowing time for it to set.
Consistency-wise, you want the glaze to be thick, but it should off your whisk easily. Similar to the consistency of corn syrup. If you would like a thinner glaze, then aim for consistency of maple syrup. The glaze will eventually have a light crust as it sets, but it will harden all the way through.
- Powdered sugar– I recommend sifting with a fine mesh sieve as it helps to prevent lumps in the glaze. I also provided a range of 1- ½ cups. Start with one cup and add additional powdered sugar as needed to thicken.
- Milk– You could also use water or lemon juice as well, but milk will tone down the sweetness just a bit. Lemon juice will give you a bigger punch of lemon flavor. Again, I provide a range so you can control the thickness of the glaze. Add the milk slowly.
- Lemon zest– You can mix this into to the glaze itself or add the zest on top of the glazed bread.
How to Freeze Lemon Bread
You can make this loaf ahead of time and freeze for up to one month. Bake and cool the bread completely, do not add a glaze. Tightly wrap twice in plastic wrap and store in the freeze. Thaw to room temperature prior to serving. To add the glaze, wait until the bread has completely thawed.
How to Keep Bread Fresh
Store this in an airtight container at room temperature. If you’d like to prepare it ahead of time, you can prepare it up to two days in advance, store in an airtight container and add the glaze prior to serving.
More Muffin and Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Lemon Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
You’ll love this easy Lemon Bread is soft, moist and packed with lemon flavor.
Ingredients
For the bread
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (143g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (118ml) sour cream
- 1 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 1 large lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) lemon extract
Glaze (optional)
- 1 – 1 ½ cups (130-195g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–4 tablespoons (30-120ml) milk
- Additional lemon zest
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9-inch loaf pan and set aside. You can also line the pan with parchment paper if desired.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
Next add the wet ingredients: eggs, oil, sour cream, lemon juice, zest and extract. Beat all the ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.
Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Glaze: Combined 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons milk and whisk to combine. Add additional milk to thin it out until desired consistency. If it becomes too thin, add additional powdered sugar. Add additional lemon zest on top if desired.
Notes
- Sour cream substitute: Greek or plain yogurt is the best option
- Lemon extract substitute: Add an additional teaspoon of lemon juice
- Freezing this bread: You can make this loaf ahead of time and freeze for up to one month. Bake and cool the bread completely, do not add a glaze. Tightly wrap twice in plastic wrap and store in the freeze. Thaw to room temperature prior to serving. To add the glaze, wait until the bread has completely thawed.
- How to keep this bread fresh: Store this in an airtight container at room temperature. If you’d like to prepare it ahead of time, you can prepare it up to two days in advance, store in an airtight container and add the glaze prior to serving.
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lemon Bread, Quick bread recipe, Brunch recipe, Lemon loaf
Can this be baked in a muffin tin?
Hi Kelly, I don’t think they would rise quite as much as you’d like, and the texture might be a little dense. That being said, I have not tested it
Hello! Could you recommend adding blueberries or streusel to this
Hi Maria, you can add blueberries, coated in flour. I am not sure about the streusel specifically, it would need to be tested.
Seriously the best lemon bread, I didn’t have lemon extract so I used vanilla.
To die for my kids and I devoured it.
★★★★★
Amazing!! I love to hear that! Thank you!
this is a super easy recipe and it is delicious! Will make again!
★★★★★
Wonderful, thank you Laura!
how about doubling the recipe? loved it the first time just want the loaf bigger! how much baking time?
I think that should be fine!
I was skeptical at first but after emailing the author my question was answered. I proceeded with the recipe. It is everything that was promised. I used whole Greek plain yogurt since I had no sour cream. I only used 1/2 cup sugar & the texture was not compromised. I did 2 mini loaf pans for 35 minutes since I don’t own a larger loaf pan. It is soft, delicious, & lemony. It is so quick & easy it will be my go to recipe for lemon bread.
★★★★★
Hi Joyce- thank you so much for your review, I am glad I could help and so happy to hear these delivered on point! Thank you for sharing your substitutes.
I just made this recipe and it’s delicious and so easy to make, it will be a regular at our house
★★★★★
Wonderful Sylvia! Thank you so much for sharing, I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Love iitttttt!!
★★★★★
Wonderful! Thank you Dayana!
I love this bread and have made it several times, but it always sinks in the middle. I am measuring carefully any suggestions!
★★★★★
Hi Teri, have you checked your baking powder recently to make sure it’s fresh? Sometimes I find an extra 2 minutes or so in the oven will also help to ensure it doesn’t fall, or even adding an extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder could help. If you live in a higher elevation you might also need to make some adjustments?