Lemon Loaf

Lemon Loaf

This amazing Lemon Loaf is an easy version of a delicious lemon “cake” topped with a lemony glaze, and there are healthy options for making this better for your body!

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Lemon Loaf

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature (or flax eggs)
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, or equivalent (coconut sugar, monk fruit or Swerve)
  • 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, room temperature (can use light)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest, about 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1-2 teaspoons lemon extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil*
  • 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour or gluten free 1:1
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar or equivalent (monk fruit** or Swerve)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions:

Lemon Loaf

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add eggs, sugar, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract and beat until creamy. Slowly drizzle in oil.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  1. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. (Some lumps are okay.)
  2. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs.
  3. Allow the loaf to cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Lemon Glaze

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar (or substitute) and lemon juice, and whisk until smooth.
  2. Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf and serve.

*Grapeseed oil is a healthier alternative to vegetable oil in baked goods. Olive oil works also, but can sometimes add a bit of unpleasant flavor, though with something like lemon, it shouldn’t be an issue. Melted butter works as a 1:1 swap for vegetable oil (try browning the butter for even more flavor)! Another option is to replace up to half of the vegetable oil with plain unsweetened applesauce. You can use all applesauce, but the texture is better with some oil component.

**Use about 3/4 of monk fruit to 1 cup of confectioners sugar, and add a tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot starch (mixed prior to adding to the full recipe) to help reduce clumping.Lemon Loaf