If you’re looking for a dessert that’s bursting with sunshiney flavor, comes together in one bowl, and stays perfectly moist for nearly a week, this is it. This moist lemon bread is the kind of recipe busy families come back to again and again — simple enough for a weeknight, special enough for guests, and so delicious your kids might just sneak a slice before dinner.
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Flavor profile: Zesty, bright lemon with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb
Why this version wins: We use a double-lemon trick (zest + juice) and a foolproof wet-to-dry mixing method that guarantees no overmixing — the #1 reason lemon bread turns out tough.
Recipe Highlights
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50–60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 8–10 slices
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Moist Lemon Bread
- Ready in under 90 minutes — no fancy equipment or long waits, just simple ingredients and a single bowl
- Stays moist for 5 full days thanks to yogurt and oil in the batter, plus a quick lemon syrup soak while warm
- Easy to adapt — gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free options included
- Family-approved — even picky eaters love the bright citrus flavor without being too tart
Ingredients
1. Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice
This is non-negotiable. Bottled lemon juice lacks the vibrant, aromatic oils you get from fresh lemons. Zest adds intense flavor without extra liquid, while juice brings tang and activates the baking powder. Pro tip: Zest the lemon before juicing — it’s much easier!
2. Plain Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
Yogurt adds moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweetness. It also helps create a tight, soft crumb. Use full-fat for best results, but low-fat works in a pinch. Substitute: Greek yogurt, sour cream, or even buttermilk.
3. Vegetable Oil
Oil keeps the bread tender and moist longer than butter alone. Butter adds flavor, but oil prevents dryness. We use a mix of both — melted butter for richness, oil for softness.
4. All-Purpose Flour
Provides structure without making the loaf dense. For best results, spoon and level your flour — don’t scoop straight from the bag, or you’ll end up with a dry loaf.
5. Granulated Sugar
Sweetens and helps tenderize the crumb. The sugar also dissolves into the lemon syrup, which soaks into the warm bread for extra moisture and flavor.
6. Eggs (Room Temperature)
Bind the ingredients and add lift. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter, preventing curdling. Take them out 30 minutes before baking, or place in warm water for 5–10 minutes.
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list with exact measurements.
How to Make Moist Lemon Bread
1. Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides — this makes it easy to lift the bread out later. Pro tip: Use floured baking spray for zero sticking.
2. Bloom the Lemon Flavor
In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of lemon zest and 1 ¼ cups sugar. Use your fingers to rub them together — this releases the citrus oils and infuses the sugar with intense lemon aroma. This step makes all the difference in flavor depth.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients
Add ⅓ cup melted butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup room-temperature plain yogurt, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and creamy — about 1–2 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture looks uniform with no streaks of egg or oil.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Baking powder is key here — make sure it’s fresh! Old baking powder won’t rise properly.
5. Gently Fold Together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three parts, folding gently with a spatula after each addition. Mix just until no flour streaks remain — a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix. Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to a tough, rubbery texture.
6. Bake and Soak
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden and spring back when lightly touched.
While the bread bakes, make the lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, heat ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and brush or pour the warm syrup evenly over it. Let it soak in as the bread cools.
Pro Tips for Perfect Results
- Use room-temperature ingredients — cold eggs or yogurt can cause the batter to seize or bake unevenly.
- Don’t overbake — check at 50 minutes. Ovens vary, and overbaking is the #1 cause of dry lemon bread.
- Poke holes before syruping — this helps the syrup penetrate deep into the crumb, not just sit on top.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack — this helps the structure set without collapsing.
- Use a digital thermometer — the internal temperature should read 200°F (93°C) when done.
Storage and Reheating
- Room Temperature: Store cooled bread in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic. It stays moist for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Slice and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast straight from frozen.
- Reheating: Warm individual slices in a toaster oven at 300°F for 5–7 minutes. The texture will be soft and fragrant, almost like fresh-baked.
- Note: The glaze may soften slightly over time, but the crumb stays intact.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-Free: Swap all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (like Bob’s Red Mill). Add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t include it.
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut yogurt or a dairy-free sour cream alternative, and replace butter with melted coconut oil.
- Lemon Blueberry: Fold in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed in 1 tablespoon flour) after combining wet and dry ingredients.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Add 2 tablespoons poppy seeds to the dry ingredients for a classic combo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead?
Yes! This bread actually tastes better the next day — the flavors deepen and the crumb tightens. Bake it one day, slice and serve the next.
What can I substitute for yogurt?
Sour cream, buttermilk, or even applesauce work. For buttermilk, reduce oil to 2 tablespoons and use 1 cup buttermilk total.
How do I know when it’s done?
A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs — no wet batter. The top will be golden and domed, and the sides may pull slightly away from the pan.
Why didn’t my bread rise properly?
Check your baking powder — if it’s old, it won’t activate. Also, avoid overmixing, which can deflate the batter. And never open the oven in the first 40 minutes — sudden temperature drops can cause collapse.
Final Thoughts
This moist lemon bread has become my go-to for potlucks, teacher gifts, and weekend breakfasts. It’s the kind of recipe that feels special without being fussy — and the fact that it stays fresh for days means I always have something sweet on hand.
The double dose of lemon — in the batter and the syrup — gives it that bright, bakery-quality flavor you’d expect from a café, but it comes together with pantry staples and one bowl.
If you’ve ever had a dry, bland lemon bread, this one will surprise you. The texture is plush, the flavor is bold, and the method is foolproof.
Give it a try this week — I’d love to hear how it turns out. And if you’re feeling fancy, slice it, toast it, and slather it with butter. Trust me, it’s even better that way.
Moist Lemon Bread – Bakery-Style Perfection at Home
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes50
minutes300
kcal1
hour15
minutesThis ultra-moist lemon bread is bursting with bright citrus flavor and stays incredibly soft for days. Made with fresh lemon zest, juice, and a tangy yogurt batter, each slice has a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that’s finished with a sweet lemon syrup soak.
Ingredients
Lemon Bread
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or canola oil
1 cup (240g) plain yogurt, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
- Lemon Syrup
¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Optional Glaze
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
2–3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant.
- Add melted butter, oil, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet in three parts, folding gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Bake 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While baking, heat lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves.
- As soon as bread comes out of the oven, poke holes all over and brush with warm syrup.
- Cool in pan 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze. Drizzle over cooled bread.
Notes
- Nutrition (per slice, 10 slices)
Calories: 280
Fat: 11g
Carbohydrates: 42g
Protein: 4g
Sugar: 26g
