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Sliced sourdough lemon loaf with lemon glaze drizzled on top

Sourdough Lemon Loaf

A soft, tender lemon loaf made with sourdough starter - works with active starter or discard.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 -10 slices
Course: Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: International
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 130 g (⅔ cup) cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest approx. 1 large lemon
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon (30ml / 2 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) kefir
  • 90 g (⅓ cup) sourdough starter, active or discard
  • 85 g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) olive oil
  • 190 g (1½ cups) all purpose flour , sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Equipment

  • Loaf pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer (or whisk)
  • Sieve (for sifting flour)

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line your loaf tin with parchment paper, or grease it well if you prefer.
  2. Combine cane sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Using your hands, rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant and slightly moist.
  3. Whisk eggs and sugar. Add the eggs to the bowl and whisk with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and roughly doubled in volume. If you're doing this by hand, it takes around 5 to 7 minutes of good whisking. This step adds air to the batter and gives the loaf its light texture.
  4. Add lemon juice, kefir, sourdough starter, and olive oil. Mix until smooth and combined.
  5. Sift the flour over the wet mixture and add the salt.
Baking same day:
  1. Add the baking powder and baking soda now. Fold gently until just combined - don't overmix.
Baking next day:
  1. Add flour and salt only. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, bring to room temperature briefly, then fold in the baking powder and baking soda before baking.
  2. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the top is deep golden.
  3. Cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Sourdough starter: Active or discard both work. Discard gives a slightly more subtle flavour.
  • Kefir substitute: You can use buttermilk or plain yogurt (thinned with a little milk),
  • Overnight rest: Skip the baking powder and baking soda if resting overnight; add them the next morning just before baking.
  • Don't overbake: Remove when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs for the most tender crumb.
  • Storage: Room temperature, up to 3 days. Refrigerator up to 5 days. Freezer up to 2 months.
  • Optional glaze: Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until you reach your desired consistency.
  • Nutrition: Values are approximate and will vary based on specific ingredients used. Nutrition information does not include the optional glaze.
Approximate Nutrition (per slice, based on 10 servings, without glaze)
   
Calories ~260 kcal
Carbohydrates ~32g
Protein ~5g
Fat ~12g
Saturated Fat ~2g
Sugar ~16g
Fibre ~1g
Sodium ~120mg
Nutrition information is an estimate only.