Easy Lemon Bread Recipe for Moist Soft Loaf

This is the kind of lemon bread that smells like sunshine and tastes like you cleaned your whole life up—soft, plush crumb with that bright lemon zing, a syrup that soaks in for extra moisture, and a simple glossy glaze that cracks when you bite it. It’s not fussy. One bowl for wet, one for dry, and you’re in business. If you love lemon desserts that are actually lemony (not shy, not whispering), this one hits.

My little family annihilates this loaf. My husband will stand at the counter with a butter knife, “evening out” the slices like a tiny architect. The kiddo calls it “yellow cake bread” and insists it’s breakfast food, which, frankly, I don’t argue. It started as a bake-to-use-up-the-yogurt moment and now it’s the thing I make whenever we need a cozy boost or a just-because treat. I’ve taken it to neighbors; they text for the recipe before the pan cools.

How to Make It

Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment (a little overhang = easy lift-out). Butter or spray it because we’re not into sticking.

Now the secret move: put your sugar in a bowl and rub in the zest of two lemons with your fingers. It’ll look a little damp and smell ridiculous. That’s how you get that lemon-all-the-way flavor.

Whisk in eggs, a good splash of vanilla, neutral oil, and full-fat yogurt. Batter will be silky. In a second bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, a pinch of baking soda, and salt. Dump dry into wet and fold just until you don’t see flour pockets. Resist the urge to keep stirring—overmixing = tough loaf.

Pour into the pan, smooth it, and bake 50–55 minutes. If it’s getting dark at 40, tent with foil. Meanwhile, stir up a quick lemon syrup—just lemon juice and sugar—so it’s ready to soak in.

When the loaf comes out, poke all over with a skewer and brush on that syrup. It’ll look shiny and slightly soggy (in a good way). Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes, then move to a rack.

Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice for a pourable glaze and drizzle over the cooled loaf. It’ll set into that pretty crackle. Slice when you can’t stand it any longer.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Lemons: Zest is the flavor bomb; rub it into the sugar so the oils wake up. If your lemons are sad/dry, microwave 10 seconds then roll on the counter.
– All-purpose flour: Spoon and level so you don’t pack it. Too much flour = dry loaf. Been there, dunked it in coffee to save it.
– Neutral oil: Keeps the crumb extra soft, even straight from the fridge. Melted butter tastes lovely but the loaf won’t be as plush.
– Greek yogurt or sour cream: Tang + moisture. Use full-fat if you can. Thinner yogurt works—just reduce milk a splash.
– Eggs: Room temp helps them whisk in smoothly. Forgot? Set in warm water for 10 minutes.
– Sugar (granulated + powdered): White sugar for structure and the lemon rub; powdered for glaze. Don’t skip the glaze—it’s the lemon bow on top.
– Baking powder + a pinch of baking soda: Lift and tenderness, especially with the yogurt. Too much soda can turn it weirdly tan, so measure.
– Vanilla + salt: Background heroes. The salt makes the lemon pop, the vanilla makes it smell bakery-fancy.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line/grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan.
2. Rub 3/4 cup sugar with the zest of 2 lemons until fragrant.
3. Whisk in 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream), 1/4 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; fold into wet just until combined.
5. Bake 50–55 minutes, tenting with foil if browning early; a tester should come out mostly clean.
6. Warm 1/4 cup lemon juice with 2 tablespoons sugar; poke loaf and brush syrup on. Cool, then glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or lemon tea (double lemon, no regrets).
– A handful of fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt.
– For brunch: scrambled eggs, salty bacon, and this loaf for the sweet note.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Rub the zest into the sugar. Skipping this loses half the lemon oomph.
– Don’t overmix. Fold until the flour disappears and walk away.
– Pan size matters. A larger 9×5 pan bakes faster—start checking at 42 minutes.
– Browning too fast? Foil tent saves the day.
– Let it cool before glazing or the glaze just vanishes into the loaf (which, okay, still tasty).

✔Storage Tips

Counter: Keep it airtight at room temp 2–3 days. The syrup keeps it crazy moist.
Fridge: Up to 5 days. Cold slices taste denser and extra lemony—great with afternoon coffee.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter or toast gently. Breakfast of champions.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Blueberry lemon: Fold 1 cup blueberries with a teaspoon of flour at the end. Bake time may add 5 minutes.
– Poppy seed: Add 1–2 tablespoons poppy seeds to the dry mix. Classic and crunchy.
– Butter swap: Use 1/2 cup melted butter instead of oil for richer flavor; texture will be slightly tighter.
– Dairy-free: Use coconut yogurt and a splash of oat milk. Still soft, a little tropical.
– Gluten-free: A good 1:1 GF all-purpose blend works; let the batter rest 10 minutes before baking.
– Sweetener tweaks: Honey or maple in the batter (use 1/2 cup and reduce milk to 2 tablespoons); loaf browns quicker—watch the edges.
– Extra tart glaze: Add a pinch of citric acid to the glaze if you’re a lemon-head.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Lemon Bread Recipe for Moist Soft Loaf

This moist, soft lemon bread bursts with fresh lemon zest and juice and is finished with a bright, tangy glaze. Simple one-bowl batter and bakery-style results every time.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt full-fat or 2%
• ▢ 0.25 cup whole milk room temperature
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice strained
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar for glaze
• ▢ 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for glaze
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line with a parchment sling.
• In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
• In a large bowl whisk sugar and eggs until light and slightly thick, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in yogurt, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add dry ingredients to wet and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
• Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, then lift out to a rack to cool until just warm.
• Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice to a thick, pourable glaze. Spoon over the warm loaf, sprinkle with zest, and let set before slicing.

Notes

For extra moisture, ensure dairy and eggs are at room temperature and avoid overmixing. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze slices up to 2 months.