A bright and sweet lemon bread with a zingy lemon-ginger glaze. This is an easy quick bread recipe that is better than any coffee shop lemon bread. Make it for breakfast, brunch, or serve it as a snack cake.
If we’re being honest, lemon bread, like muffins, is really just an excuse to eat cake for breakfast. I’m happy to acknowledge this truth and I recognize that maybe it’s not the sort of breakfast to indulge in every day, but for a weekend or holiday, a homemade lemon quick bread topped with a lemon-ginger glaze is a great way to kick off a special celebratory brunch or breakfast.
The bread itself is a straight-forward one made with simple ingredients plus plenty of fresh lemon zest, but it’s the glaze that gives the bread a flavor punch. It’s a simple sugar glaze spiked with fresh lemon juice plus a touch of ginger paste that gives it a zingy bright flavor.
It reminds me of a certain lemon bread you can get at a coffee shop but better because it’s homemade and you don’t have to leave the house. Add your own frothy coffee for extra bonus points.
Tips for Making Lemon Bread
- Plan to make and bake it a day in advance so that the bread has time to cool completely. This also allows the flavors to fully develop.
- I used a two-bowl method to prepare the batter. I like to whisk all the dry ingredients and mix the wet ones separately before combining the two. This ensures the batter isn’t overworked, which can lead to a tougher crumb.
- In one of the tests I did for this recipe, I prepared a loaf pan with a generous coating of regular cooking spray. When I tried to transfer the loaf from the pan to a baking rack, the bottom stuck to the pan which wasn’t the end of the world but didn’t make for a pretty finished loaf. So, I recommend the old “butter and flour” method for preparing the pan. The loaf slid out in one whole piece.
- Because ovens are different, I recommend baking the loaf for 35-40 minutes and then check it for doneness. Mine are always ready and 40 minutes on the nose, but your oven may run hotter or cooler so always check early.
- There are two ways to glaze the bread: either pour the glaze over the top of the bread and watch it run down the sides, which leaves you with more glaze on the counter than the bread or apply the glaze in batches. Having tried both ways I can say with confidence that you will get a nice layer of glaze if you practice patience and apply it in layers. I like to use a pastry brush to paint it on in batches.
So, here’s to having cake for breakfast. This lemon bread is a wonderful way to treat yourself.
Happy Baking 🍋
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Lemon Bread with Lemon-Ginger Glaze
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Description
This lemon bread has a bright citrus flavor and an extra zing from a touch of ginger paste in the glaze. It’s great treat for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon (see note)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 1.5-quart loaf pan by applying a thin layer of butter on the inside of the pan. Add a tablespoon of flour and, rotating the pan, move it around the pan so that it coats the butter. Tap excess flour out of the pan.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the butter, sugar, eggs, zest, and milk in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in a few batches, stirring in between until the batter is just combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake the bread for 30 to 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 20 to 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely.
- To make the glaze, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and ginger in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top and sides of the bread with glaze. Let it dry before adding another layer. Repeat several times until you’ve used all the glaze. Let the glaze fully set before wrapping the bread in plastic wrap until you are ready to serve it.
Notes
I like to stir the flour in the container before lightly spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off.
Look for tubes of ginger paste near the herbs in the produce department. Or you can substitute the same amount of fresh grated ginger
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 38.4g
- Sodium: 489.8mg
- Fat: 13.3g
- Saturated Fat: 7.8g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 0.7g
- Protein: 4.9g
- Cholesterol: 78.2mg
Keywords: lemon bread recipe, glazed lemon bread. lemon quick bread
The nutrition information in this recipe is an estimate only and was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Post updated from the archives. First published in August 2009.
Cookin' Canuck says
I love lemon breads and I really like that you added some ginger.
Jessie says
I can just smell the lemon! quick breads are one of my favorite things to make
Fearless Kitchen says
This looks great. My husband really loves lemon-flavored anything, I’ll have to try this for him sometime!
The Duo Dishes says
Totally a keeper! We both love all things citrus, and the ginger tops it off. Really nice.
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says
This bread looks delicious! I would love a slice for breakfast this morning!
[email protected] says
This bread looks and sounds delicious… I have all the ingredients; I could make this today….
tastyeatsathome says
Mmm, I am now craving this.
Divina Pe says
That looks and sounds really, really good. It looks so moist and of course fragrant.