Sourdough Lemon Bread
This sourdough lemon bread with a sweet lemon glaze is bursting with bright citrus flavor. It’s the perfect recipe for using up that extra sourdough starter.
I am a lemon-lover, I won’t deny it. I can enjoy lemon flavored desserts like my sourdough lemon poppy seed scones, or my fresh gluten free lemon bars all year long. But there’s something extra special about enjoying this sourdough lemon loaf in the spring and summer when fresh fruit abounds.
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Lemon Bread
- Uses Up Sourdough Discard: If you’ve got a jar of sourdough starter accumulating in the fridge, this recipe is a great way to use up a half cup. If you need even more ideas, try my Sourdough Blueberry Muffins, or these Overnight Sourdough Biscuits.
- Quick-Bread Treat: Everyone loves a good quick-bread, and this sourdough lemon cake comes together easily with a simple sweet glaze.
- Easy to Make: With pantry staples and just a few simple steps, this tender cake comes together in just 1 hour. Need more hour-or-less dessert recipes? This Sourdough Blueberry Bread is a well-loved variation of this sourdough quick bread, or try my Cherry Crumble.
Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard: You can use discard or fed starter. Discard offers a more noticeable tang, but active works just as well if you happen to have some bubbling.
- Fresh Lemon Zest + Juice: Key to the flavor—don’t skip the zest!
- Melted Butter or Oil: Using butter as the fat imparts the best flavor, but a neutral oil works perfectly and can help keep the loaf moist.
- Milk: I like to use whole milk, but you can use an alternative like buttermilk, almond milk, or oat milk.
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Sourdough Lemon Bread
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making sourdough lemon bread.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. (Photo 1)
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar. You can use an electric mixer or mix by hand with a whisk. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition (Photo 2).
Step 3: Add the sourdough starter (Photo 3), lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla (Photo 4), and milk (Photo 5). Mix until smooth.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet (Photo 6), mixing just until combined (Photo 7), being careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the loaf pan (Photo 8). Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes. If the top starts to brown too much, tent it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs.
Step 6: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes (Photo 9) and then transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling (Photo 10).
Step 7: For the lemon glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. If it’s too thick add a bit more lemon juice or milk, if it’s too thin add a bit more powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. Pour lemon drizzle over the cooled cake. (Photo 11) Allow the icing to set (Photo 12) and then slice and serve.
Sourdough lemon bread would go well with a homemade vanilla latte, or a London fog tea latte for a special breakfast or brunch!
How to Store
This discard lemon cake stores well for 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can also freeze it once completely cooled. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag to store for up to 3 months. You can freeze the loaf whole or slice pieces and wrap them individually for quick portioned snacks.
Thaw your frozen lemon loaf at room temperature for a few hours, or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.
Tips
- This sourdough lemon bread recipe uses sourdough discard, so you don’t have to have your sourdough starter in its active state.
- Be gentle when mixing the lemon loaf batter. I always tell people to stop mixing a few seconds before they think they should.
- Let the bread cool before you drizzle on the glaze, otherwise, it will just melt off.
- If the top of your bread starts to brown too much before the center is fully cooked, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking. This will help prevent over-browning while allowing the bread to bake through.
- You can reduce the amount of sugar in the bread, but it may affect both the sweetness and the texture. Sugar also helps with moisture retention, so reducing it too much could result in drier bread.
- This recipe can be made into muffins instead of a loaf. You can bake the batter in a muffin tin. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on them, as baking times will be shorter for muffins than for a loaf.
Recipe FAQs
While this recipe specifically calls for sourdough discard (which is unfed and more acidic), you
can use a fed sourdough starter. The flavor and texture might be slightly different, but the bread
should still turn out fine. Just make sure the starter is not too active (or it might affect the rise and
the flavor).
You can substitute some or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, but it will change
the texture and flavor of the bread, making it denser. If using a gluten-free flour, you may need to
adjust the recipe further, as gluten-free flour behaves differently in baking.
Yes! You can replace the butter with a non-dairy butter substitute or oil, and use a plant-based
milk (like almond milk or oat milk) instead of regular milk. The rest of the recipe should remain
the same.
Absolutely! You can substitute the lemon juice and zest with orange or lime juice and zest for a
different citrus flavor. Just keep in mind that it will slightly alter the flavor profile of the bread.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Sourdough Lemon Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together. You can use an electric mixer or a whisk. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sourdough discard, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the bread is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the glaze. Adjust the consistency if needed by adding more lemon juice for a thinner glaze.
- Once the bread has cooled, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top. Let it sit for a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
-
- This stores well for 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze it once completely cooled. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag to store for up to 3 months. You can freeze the loaf whole or slice pieces and wrap them individually for quick portioned snacks. Thaw your frozen lemon loaf at room temperature for a few hours, or warm it in the oven for a few minutes.
- This recipe uses sourdough discard, so you don’t have to have your sourdough starter in its active state.
-
- Be gentle when mixing the lemon loaf batter. I always tell people to stop mixing a few seconds before they think they should.
-
- Let the bread cool before you drizzle on the glaze, otherwise, it will just melt off.
-
- This recipe can be made into muffins instead of a loaf. You can bake the batter in a muffin tin. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on them, as baking times will be shorter for muffins than for a loaf.
This is the perfect sourdough quick bread for a spring breakfast or brunch!