This greek yogurt lemon loaf is incredibly moist and soft! The lemon glaze is the perfect finishing touch to this loaf.
May is here and so is Spring! F.i.n.a.l.l.y.
This winter wasn’t harsh by any means, but getting rain, random snow falls and cold weather while being in quarantine in April wasn’t overly pleasant. Now that the weather is getting warmer and the sun is here, I’m looking forward to enjoying my morning coffee on the balcony and longer walks with the pup.
The one flavour that really screams Spring to me is lemon. I love the punchy flavour and how refreshing it is! These past two weeks I’ve worked on this greek yogurt lemon loaf recipe and I’m so happy to finally share the recipe with you. This recipe is super simple, doesn’t require any extravagant ingredients and only takes 15 minutes to prepare.
MORE ABOUT THIS RECIPE
An important ingredient in this lemon loaf is greek yogurt. I personally love baking with greek yogurt for several reason:
- It is a staple ingredient in my fridge. It is so versatile – you can use it for sauces, baked goods, smoothies, or just eat it with some fruit and granola. Anyways, I always have some on hand.
- Baking with greek yogurt adds a lot of moisture to your baked good and its acidity helps activate baking soda, which results in a fluffier bread.
- Greek yogurt has a bit of a tangy flavour and pairs really well with the lemon sourness and sweetness.
- As a little health bonus, greek yogurt is high in protein and low in sugar compared to yogurt. Oh and for baking purposes, please use 2% of full-fat plain greek yogurt – not 0%, which is usually higher in sugar and won’t be as creamy.
Another tip I want to share for this recipe is to mix your lemon zest with your sugar (with your hands!). By “massaging” the lemon zest, you help release the essential oil of the zest into the sugar and it enhances the lemon flavour.
I included a lemon glaze to pour on top of the lemon loaf here, but it is optional. I love how it adds some sweetness to the bread but the lemon loaf itself is just as delicious and moist!
If you are going to add the glaze and are a lemon lover, you could substitute some of the milk for lemon juice (in a 1:1 ratio) for a stronger lemon flavour. If you would rather tone down the lemon, use all milk and no lemon juice in the glaze. You do you!
FOR MORE DELICIOUS BREAD RECIPES, CHECK OUT MY:
- Healthy Banana Bread
- Refined Sugar-Free Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Swirl
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
If you make this glazed greek yogurt lemon loaf, leave a comment below or share a picture on instagram with the tag @mapleetchocolat and/or #mapleetchocolat 🙂 Don’t have time to make the recipe now? Pin it for later by clicking on any of the pictures above and below!
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Greek Yogurt Lemon Loaf
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This greek yogurt lemon loaf is incredibly moist and soft! The lemon glaze is optional but definitely a nice addition to the loaf.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, melted (110g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 cup 2% greek yogurt (175g)
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup AP flour (250g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 350F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers to enhance the lemon flavour
- Add the melted butter to the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth and light
- Whisk in the greek yogurt and lemon juice, followed by the eggs
- Fold in the dry ingredients (the batter will get thick but don’t over mix)
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean
- Place the loaf on a cooling rack and while waiting, make the glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice until smooth
- When the lemon loaf is almost cooled, pour the lemon glaze on top
- Store the loaf in the fridge for up to a week
Notes
If you like blueberries and want to add some in this lemon loaf, fold in 1/2 cup into the batter before baking.
You can freeze this loaf for up to the 3 months. Tightly wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and place them in a large ziploc bag or airtight container.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
Keywords: lemon loaf, grek yogurt, bread
Hi there!
If I wanted to make it Vegan, what would you suggest for the egg substitution?
Hi! You could try making flax eggs instead but I haven’t personally tried so can’t guarantee that it will turn out right. If you try it let me know if it worked!
Could I use a higher fat content Greek yogurt such as 5%?
Hi Rebecca! Yes you can, it should work no problem 🙂
Could I substitute apple puree for the sugar?
Hi Kimberley! I wouldn’t recommend it. It will change the texture of the loaf…
I prepared this loaf this morning for my mom, a fan of lemon, and used a popular sugar substitute “Baking Blend” in lieu of the sugar. Additionally, I prepared the glaze with half regular confectioners and half of another substitute confectioners sugar blend. The glaze was perfect, but I suspect that the sugar swap in the batter may have flattened it out a bit. The cake was not as tall and was denser than in the picture, but still very good. I would recommend this recipe, unadulterated, to absolutely anyone who loves lemon.
Can I use sour cream if I don’t have Greek yogurt
Yes! Sour cream is a great substitute for greek yogurt.
My husband and I loved this loaf!
Took a little longer the second time I made it than the 40 minutes suggested but I kept an eye on it and it looks delicious.
Hi Charlotte, the Greek yoghurt in my country has a higher fat content, usually 10%. Will this still work in the recipe? Thank you!
Hello, I haven’t made the recipe yet. I wanted to know if this could be frozen?
Thank you
Hi! Yes, it can definitely be frozen. I like to slice the loaf first and then wrap individual slices in plastic wrap. It is best to freeze without the glaze, but if you already put it on, I would recommend putting your slices on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours before wrapping them. The glaze will harden and it will be easier to wrap.
Can I make this in a bread maker machine
Started to make this today and noticed- flour says 1 1/2 c (250 grams) flour. 250 grams flour is 2 cups. Which is the correct amount to use in the recipe?
Thank you!
Could I substitute maple syrup for the sugar?
This was amazing !
Why is it the same amount of glaze for 3 loafs as it is for 1 and 2 loafs?
Made this recipe into muffins, baked for 35 minutes (could possibly do 30mins) with some adjustments. I like a strong lemon flavour so i added the zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp of poppyseeds. Only did 1 tbsp of each lemon juice and milk for the icing to be thicker. Delicious.
Swapped out lemon and used orange instead and used a tad less sugar and it is perfect. Also added additional freshly squeezed orange juice (2 tbs) after the batter was in the loaf tin and it was super moist.
Can I use a Gluten free flour and if so what would you recommend?
Tried this today for the first time. Pretty easy and oh so yummy. Will be keeping this in the make again file!
Tasty but didn’t rise much.
I used only half of the glaze.
Tasty but didn’t rise much.
I used only half of the glaze.