Glazed Lemon Bread

4.86 from 28 votes

This Lemon Bread is an old-fashioned quick bread made with real butter, fresh lemons, and a simple sweet-tart glaze that soaks into every slice and creates an irresistible crust.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

8.5-inch by 4.5-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

For Loaf Pan

~½ tablespoon unsalted butter softened
~1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Lemon Bread

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ cup unsalted butter softened
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup buttermilk or homemade buttermilk (see notes)
2 teaspoons lemon zest ~2 large lemons

Lemon Glaze

2 tablespoons lemon juice ~2 large lemons
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃). Generously grease an 8.5-by-4.5-inch loaf pan with butter on all sides. Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan, shake to coat, then flip over the sink or trash to remove excess flour.
Over a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to evenly distribute.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Once pale and fluffy, mix in the eggs until combined.
Add the sifted dry ingredients, buttermilk, and lemon zest to the creamed butter and sugar, then gently fold until just combined, using caution to not overmix.
Transfer the prepared batter to the prepared loaf pan, spreading into an even layer.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly dry or with a few crumbs. Alternatively, insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread. It is done when it reads between 195-200°F. If you are using a metal baking pan, begin checking on the bread after 40 minutes.
While the bread bakes, whisk together the lemon juice with the remaining sugar until the sugar dissolves. Tip: It may help to warm up your lemon juice for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before whisking it with the sugar.
After baking, place the pan on a cooling rack. Use a skewer to poke holes halfway down into the loaf.
Pour the glaze over the lemon bread. Let the bread sit in the loaf pan for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, loosen the bread from the pan with a butter knife, then remove it and transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

Use room-temperature eggs and butter for the best results.

Lemons: Use only FRESH lemon juice for this recipe. This recipe requires about 2 fresh lemons (zest and juice).

Homemade Buttermilk: Add ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to a glass measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to reach ½ cup total liquid, let sit for 5 minutes, then use in place of buttermilk.

Storage: Store cooled lemon bread in a sealed container for 3 days at room temperature. Alternatively, store the lemon bread in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezing: If desired, you can freeze this loaf of lemon bread for up to 1 month. Let it cool completely, then wrap the loaf UNSLICED in several layers of plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Defrost in the refrigerator before enjoying.

Double the Recipe: Double the ingredients and divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch loaf pans. I suggest placing the pans on the same rack in the oven, leaving a couple of inches between each pan, and rotating them midway through baking.

Size/Type of Loaf Pan: This recipe is designed for an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan. If you use a metal loaf pan, start checking the bread after 40 minutes, as it will bake faster.

Nutrition