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Sourdough Lemon Bread

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Sourdough Lemon Bread

Sourdough lemon bread is sweet, tangy, and fluffy. Great with a cup of afternoon tea.

Notes

  • If you like it extra lemony, don’t add too much lemon juice. It will make the loaf dense and chewy with the extra liquid. Instead try adding more lemon zest. Another option is to add more lemon juice to the top of the loaf before adding the glaze.

  • Use fresh lemon juice vs bottled!

  • Be careful with the lemon and milk. Lemon is very acidic and will curdle the milk. Try to add these separately to both the glaze and main mixture.

  • Do not over mix, it will not be as fluffy.

  • Every oven is different, so start checking the loaf at the 40 minute mark. You want it moist but not gooey. There is a sweet spot before it goes dry.

   
Lemon Loaf Lemon Slice

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease loaf pan.

2. Cream sugar & butter

In a mixing bowl cream 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter until smooth.

3. Add wet ingredients

Add two eggs and blend. Measure 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 80g sourdough starter and add to bowl. Zest a lemon and set aside. Squeeze lemon juice and add 3 tablespoons to bowl and mix.

Bananas

4. Add dry ingredients

Measure 1 tsp baking soda, 4 g salt, 250 g all-purpose flour, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a separate bowl. Add to wet mixture and mix on low until fully combined. Do not overmix this stage.

Mix Dry

5. Add to loaf pan

Pour mixture into greased loaf pan and smooth the top.

Pan

6. Bake

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until fork comes out mostly clean. Let sit for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack.

Bake

7. Glaze

Once the loaf has cooled, pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the top of the loaf. Stir 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk in a cup. Once combined, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Spread the glaze over the loaf, lightly zest lemon on top and let set. You can do less sugar or more lemon juice, but you want the consistency of the glaze to be thick or it will drain down the side.

   
Unglazed Glazed

Lemon Loaf Top

  • 1 lemon bread loaf
  • 15 minutes
  • 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Bread

  • 1/2 cup (10 tbsp) butter (room temp)
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 80 g sourdough starter discard
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 g salt
  • 250 g (1 1/2 cups - 2 cups) all-purpose flour

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • (optional) lemon zest topping

Tools

  • Scale
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer or whisk
  • Loaf pan
  • Lemon zester
  • Lemon squeezer

Directions

  1. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease loaf pan.
  2. Cream sugar & butter. In a mixing bowl cream sugar and butter until smooth.
  3. Add wet ingredients. Add eggs and blend. Measure and mix milk, vanilla, and sourdough starter. Squeeze lemon and add lemon juice.
  4. Add dry ingredients. Measure and add baking soda, salt, flour, and lemon zest. Use electric mixer on low or whisk to blend. Do not overmix this stage.
  5. Add to loaf pan. Pour mixture into greased loaf pan.
  6. Bake. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until fork comes out mostly clean. Let sit for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.
  7. Glaze. Once the loaf has cooled, pour 1 tbsp of lemon juice over top. Combine remaining glaze ingredients and spread on loaf. Top with lemon zest.

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