Lemon Yogurt Bread

So….I have a rather spring-like bread for you today.  Lemon yogurt loaf with a lemon glaze.

Now I know for some of you it is fully summer now.  But where I live, May is still spring.  We can finally plant flowers now, and go outside without coats.  And we probably won’t get any more snow at this point!  Although, to be honest, I wouldn’t bet against it.  Unfortunately.  One of the joys of living in a rather Northern location.  It DID snow last week, after all.  It’s gone now, and probably done for the year, but still.

At any rate, I am still very much into spring like things filled with lemons when it comes to baking.  Lemon in things always makes me think of spring.  It’s just such a refreshing flavour that it feels like spring to me.  And I really love lemon in all the things, so I’m holding onto spring like stuff in my baking for as long as possible!

Plus, this lemon yogurt bread is quite healthy.  It’s half whole wheat flour rather than all white, it’s quite low sugar with only half a cup for the whole loaf, plus it used coconut oil rather than butter, which is healthier and also complements the lemon flavour perfectly.  It’s also full of plain Greek yogurt which I love adding to baked goods to add a little protein, plus it also adds a lot of moisture to the bread.

This lemon yogurt bread is actually so secretly healthy, that my mom kept calling it cake.  It’s that good.  You can’t go wrong with a bread that is healthy enough for breakfast, but tastes as good as cake.

And, if you really want to up the health factor, you could easily skip the lemon glaze, it would be great without it.  But…. don’t skip the glaze.  It’s the perfect mix of tart and sweet, and really ups the lemon flavour in the bread.

And a little glaze never hurt anyone, right?  Enjoy!

I also shared this lemon yogurt bread recipe over at Cupcakes and Kale Chips, so make sure to check it out over there too!

Yield: 1 9x5 inch loaf

Lemon Yogurt Bread

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*Note:* I could taste a hint of coconut in this bread from the coconut oil, which I think went quite well with the lemon, but if you don’t want that coconut taste, use canola or another vegetable oil instead of the coconut oil.

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (zest of one lemon)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest, rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers until it is fragrant and a light yellow colour. Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the melted coconut oil, whisking to combine it with the other wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Start with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add more as needed until it’s thin enough, up to 3 tablespoons. Spoon the lemon glaze over top of the cooled bread and allow to set. Store in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap for 3-4 days.

Notes

Source: Adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.