Sourdough Lemon Loaf
This sourdough lemon loaf is light and tender and a delicious use of sourdough discard starter. It can be made and baked in under 2 hours, or there is the option to cold-ferment the batter overnight.
Cold fermenting allows the flour to absorb more moisture from the batter, which can lead to a more moist crumb. Additionally, slow fermentation helps break down the proteins in the flour.
The sourdough starter that’s ideal to use is one that hasn’t been recently fed – this will make it acidic and it creates a more tender bread.
The prominent lemon flavour in this loaf comes from lemon zest, rubbed into the sugar until it releases all those lovely lemon oils. Then the baked loaf is topped with a simple but tasty lemon glaze. It’s a beautifully simple recipe, that tastes amazing.
There is a mixture of butter and oil in this sourdough lemon loaf. The butter brings the flavour, but the oil ensures the bread stays moist for days.
Here’s how to make it!
- I bake this in an 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan. It makes the loaf a bit higher than a 9×5 inch pan. I start by lining my pan.
- Then take your time rubbing lemon zest into sugar. This step smells uh-mazing!
- Next it’s time to whisk in the wet ingredients, including sourdough starter.
- Then add in the dry ingredients. Fold it all together gently so it doesn’t get over-mixed.
- Then, you can add the batter to the pan and bake right away. Alternatively, cover the pan tightly and cold-proof overnight.
- Once the sourdough discard lemon loaf has been baked, let it cool and then drizzle with lemon glaze.
- Time to serve!
Storing
Store any leftover sourdough lemon loaf at room temperature for up to 3 days, in an airtight container. Alternatively, refrigerate for up to a week.
Sourdough Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest finely grated
- 115 g butter melted and cooled
- 15 g olive oil or vegetable oil
- 30 g fresh lemon juice
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g sourdough discard room temperature
- 180 g milk room temperature
Glaze
- 140 g powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Splash of milk
Instructions
- Line an 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang so the loaf can be easily lifted out once baked.
- If baking right away, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add granulated sugar and the grated lemon zest. Use your fingertips to gently rub the zest into the sugar to release the lemon oils.
- Add in the melted butter, oil, eggs, lemon juice, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until combined. At this point, the batter can be baked right away or cold fermented.
- Cold-fermenting (optional) – Cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator for up to 16 hours.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the loaf in the oven for around 55-60 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- After baking, let the loaf sit in the pan for 20 minutes before removing. Let it cool down to room temperature on a wire rack.
- Mix together the glaze ingredients once cooled, then drizzle it over.
Thanks for reading this recipe! Hope you love it as much as I do 🙂
Thank You Elien💗
Just made this today, long fermented for 8 hours ~digestive issues, and it is absolutely lovely❣️ Light, both in texture and lemony taste (I omitted the glaze) which is simply perfect for tea time💕 Again, THANK YOU. Bright Beautiful Blessings Be, Nancy
Yay so happy you loved it! Thank you!
I just made this and it’s perfectly tart, sweet and delicious. Will definitely make again, thinking I’ll try with orange instead of lemon next time. Thank you!
Thank you so much for making it! So happy you love it!
This is the most amazing recipe!! So so good!
5 stars all the way!!!
How many days is it good for on the counter?
Thank you!! 2-3 days on the counter 🙂
This is the best lemon bread I have ever tasted! I bake a lot and I love lemon and this is by far the best recipe! Thank you for sharing!! I look forward to more great recipes in the future.
(For some reason its not letting me make it 5 stars🤷♀️)
Thank you so much Bonnie!! 😀 So stoked you loved it!
For some reason, mine dropped half way during cooking. Not sure what happened
Hi Marilyn! The most common reason for this is that it needed just a bit more baking time. This batter is quite moist from the lemon juice, milk and sourdough discard, so if the middle is even slightly underbaked it can collapse as it cools.
Making it again for Christmas guests. I too think this is my all-time favorite sourdough recipe! I’m fermenting overnight this time in the refrigerator and will bake it tomorrow. Do I need to let it sit out a while before baking or can I go directly from fridge to oven? Look forward to trying more of your recipes!!
Hey so happy to hear you love it!! I didn’t have a chance to reply in time, but I bake directly from fridge 🙂
5 stars! Not sure why it won’t let me select above 4….
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it is always a hit! I often don’t add the glaze, the bread is great on its own!
I’ve also had success substituting oranges for the lemon.
Thank you so much! So happy you love it!!
Wonder if u can add blueberries to this??
Hey yes you can 🙂 I do that here https://homegrownhappiness.com/sourdough-blueberry-bread/
Can you make this in a stone loaf pan?
Yes, you can use a stone loaf pan. Stoneware heats more slowly than metal, so allow the oven to fully preheat and expect the bake time to be a little longer. Keep an eye on it near the end and check with a skewer to be sure it is baked through
I just made this and it is perfect! Light, airy and perfectly lemon. Thanks for the recipe.
Yay so happy you loved it! thanks for making it!
I live in wyoming. Is there a difference in ratios for high elevation? Gonna try this for Easter. Thank you.
Hi Kate, I haven’t personally tested this at high altitude so I’m not the best person to advise on adjustments for this I’m sorry!
Hi there! I’m
Delighted to try make your lemon loaf after so much success with you sourdough hot cross buns. Is it possible to leave the cake in the fridge to ferment longer than 16 hours? More like 24 hours or is this not recommended
Hey Debbie, apologies for the slow reply! So glad the hot cross buns were a success, I hope you love this loaf too! Yes, you can absolutely leave it in the fridge for longer than 16 hours. Overnight (around 8–12 hours) is the sweet spot I’d recommend, but up to 24 hours works fine. Beyond that, the baking powder and baking soda will start to lose their lift, so I wouldn’t push past 24 hours 🙂