Lemon Bread

This lemon bread is tangy, rich, and soft! With a yummy caramelized sugar top, this sweet and tender loaf is sure to brighten any day.

Lemon Bread Recipe

Lemon bread is one of my favorite non-traditional desserts because it is decadent and rich without feeling too heavy. Perfectly fluffy, this lemon bread recipe is easy to make and a great addition to any gathering. Really, it’s a jack of all trades – fitting the bill for brunch, parties, mid-day snacks and dessert. In my opinion, the decision to make lemon bread is easy-peasy lemon-squeezy!

What Ingredients are in Lemon Bread?

• Cream Cheese – Cream Cheese (and the Sour Cream) add richness to the bread and make it ultra soft! 
• Granulated Sugar – I love to add a little granulated sugar to the top of my bread to give it a caramelized crust. 
• Eggs 
• Sour Cream 
• Melted Butter – Instead of using oil, this recipe calls for melted butter because it works better with the lemon. 
• Lemon Juice – Yes, there are a lot of lemon sources in this recipe! I diversified because in order to get the flavor I wanted, I would have had to add way too much juice and the batter would have had too much liquid. 
• Lemon Zest 
• Lemon Bakery Emulsion – I love bakery emulsion (my favorite brand is LorAnn’s), but you can sub with lemon extract if you prefer. 
• All-Purpose Flour 
• Baking Powder – This gives the loaf its rise! 
• Salt 
• Yellow Food Coloring

How to make Lemon Bread

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare a 8×4 bread pan by spraying it with non-stick spray. Set aside. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine your flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and granulated sugar on low until the mixture is completely smooth. 
5. With the mixer still running on low, add one egg at a time, mixing until smooth, and then add in the sour cream. 
6. Once the eggs and sour cream are incorporated, keep the mixer on low and add in the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon bakery emulsion. 
7. Allow the mixer to continue mixing until combined. 
8. Slowly add in the dry ingredient mix that you have prepped into the mixer, mixing until the batter is completely combined and smooth. 
9. Finally, add in yellow food coloring, if you’d like. I like to use gel food coloring.
10. Pour the batter into your prepared bread pan. 
11. Top the mixture generously with extra granulated sugar. This gives the top of the loaf a nice sweet, crust.
12. Place the pan in the fridge and allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes prior to baking. 
13. When the rest period is over, bake the bread at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the loaf with only a few moist crumbs. To prevent your bread from getting overly browned, you may need to place some tinfoil over the top around the 40 minute mark. 
14. When the bread passes the toothpick test, remove it from the oven and allow it to sit in the pan for 15 minutes prior to cutting. 
15. Enjoy!

Can I add glaze or frosting to my lemon bread?

Absolutely! After your bread has cooled, feel free to add a glaze or frosting to the loaf. I recommend trying this frosting (yum).

Can I add other flavors to my lemon bread?

Yes! Try adding in blueberries, raspberries or white chocolate chips for an additional pop of flavor!

How do I store Lemon Bread?

Your Lemon Bread is best if eaten within 3-5 days of baking. Once the bread is cooled, wrap it tightly in saran wrap and leave it on the counter. If you want to keep it fresh a little longer, you may also refrigerate it (but it will dry out more quickly!)

More Recipes Like Lemon Bread

• Easy Banana Bread Recipe
• Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread
• No Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe

Latest Recipes:

Peaches and Cream Cookies

Neapolitan Pizza Crust Recipe

Chicken Caprese Flatbread

Coconut Cream Pie Cookies