Low FODMAP Lemon Loaf
Low FODMAP Lemon Loaf! Everyone needs a great recipe for a basic lemon loaf – and this one is PERFECT, in addition to being gluten-free! Lemon loaves are perfect for Bake Sales, fancy teas and kaffeeklatsch, or just for a snack because you are a lemon lover.
This Low FODMAP Lemon Loaf includes yogurt for an irresistible tangy, moist result. Our Lemon Loaf is a little different from many; read on.
First of all it is lowered in lactose, in addition to being gluten-free. It is also reduced in sugar – sort of.
Sugar Is Low FODMAP
White cane sugar is low FODMAP. That said, many people want to eat a little less. (Check out our Reduced Fat, Reduced Sugar Banana Bread, which I like even better than the original).
Many lemon loaves not only have sugar in the batter, but they often have a lemon syrup, made of lemon juice and sugar, brushed onto them when they emerge from the oven. While this is a foolproof way to make sure that your lemon loaf is super-duper lemony and moist, it also adds an extra dose of sugar.
I have decided to skip this step; therefore there is less sugar in this low FODMAP lemon loaf.
To Glaze Or Not To Glaze
I have provided you with a glaze component. Many lemon loaves get the lemon syrup treatment and then ANOTHER dose of sugar with a confectioners’ sugar based glaze.
Truthfully, this lemon loaf doesn’t need a syrup and it doesn’t need the glaze. The glaze looks pretty and makes a pretty picture, but feel free to eat our low FODMAP Lemon Loaf au natural. Your choice.
For More Lemon Lusciousness
If you are a lemon lover, check out our Low FODMAP Lemon Tart, our Lemon Curd, Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles and recipe for Preserved Lemons, to mention a few ideas.
For more quick bread ideas, you might want to check out our 275 page ebook, Low FODMAP Baking. There are recipes in the book that are not on the site and it is only $3.99 for 60 recipes and plenty of Tips & techniques. It contains everything you want to bake – cookies, brownies, cakes, coffeecake, doughnuts – and those quick breads. Cream puffs too…I could go on.
Low FODMAP Lemon Loaf
Our Low FODMAP Lemon Loaf is just as delectable as classic versions: buttery and tender, very moist, easy to make and VERY lemony.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 1, 8 ½ -inch by 4 ¼- inch (21.5 cm by 11 cm) loaf; 12 slices; serving size 1 slice
Ingredients:
Lemon Loaf:
- 1 1/2 cups (218 g) low FODMAP all-purpose gluten-free flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral-flavored vegetable oil, such as rice bran, canola or sunflower
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk lactose- free yogurt
Lemon Glaze, optional:
- 1 cup (90 g) sifted confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preparation:
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For the Lemon Loaf: Position rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°Coat an 8 ½ -inch by 4 ¼- inch (21.5 cm by 11 cloaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and the two short ends with a broad strip of parchment paper, allowing overhang on the two short ends. Coat the paper with more nonstick spray; set aside.
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Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.
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In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, butter and sugar until combined. Whisk in the zest and lemon juice, then whisk in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to be incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in the yogurt.
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Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine just until mixed. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
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Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or just until a bamboo skewer comes out clean. Place pan on rack and cool until just warm to the touch, then unmold the loaf and remove the parchment paper. Place upright.
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For the Lemon Glaze (optional): Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until perfectly smooth and lump free and pour over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Loaf is ready to serve. See Tips for additional ideas.
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Because the loaf even improves after sitting overnight, I like to wrap the naked (unglazeloaf with plastic wrap and store at room temp overnight. Glaze right before serving. You may also wrap and store the glazed loaf, but it will lose a bit of its pristine look. It can be stored for up to 3 days at cool room temperature.
Notes:
Tips
- After making hundreds and hundreds of doughnuts during recipe development for my A Baker’s Field Guide to Doughnuts I learned a thing or two about glazes. A simple confectioners’ sugar glaze, using water, fruit juice or milk as the liquid, is a standard recipe. For images and general aesthetics I wanted the glaze to be opaque, but simply whisking together the sugar and liquid didn't do the trick. Turns out that gently heating the mixture will give you a beautifully opaque result.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
I made this loaf today, using lime instead of lemon. It is fantastic! Thanks for the recipe.
Can dairy free yogurt (such as coconut milk yogurt) and dairy free buttery spread (such as Earth Balance) be substituted for the cow-dairy yogurt and butter with good results?
All of our recipes are developed and tested as presented. The issue with tweaking our recipes is that they may or may not work with your substitutions, AND, very importantly, the FODMAP loads can and most likely will change, which means we cannot vouch for whether the recipe would still be low FODMAP.
Delicious! My family couldn’t even tell it was gluten free. Did notice the recipe was missing the step of mixing the dry and wet.
AHH you are correct! So glad it didn’t keep you from making and enjoying. Keep on baking!
Amazing!! So delicious 😊
So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for letting us know. I haven’t made it in a while and I have some lemons calling out to me:)
Thank you for this recipe. I made the loaf and skipped the glaze. Though it looks delish I just wanted to save calories. What a delightful and refreshing flavor. This will be a repeat recipe in my kitchen forever. I recently received a tentative diagnosis of IBS and your website has been a Godsend during this initial overwhelming period. Keep up your amazing dedication and work. Blessings to you and the entire Fodmapeveryday team.
Maria! Thank you for writing and for the compliments. So happy you enjoyed the lemon loaf! It is for folks like you that we keep working on new recipes and articles.
I’ve made your gluten free flour mix, can I use that, Dédé? Would the recipe need any tweaks? Thanks.
You can use it. Since the Bob’s that I use is a proprietary blend, and we cannot know the exact mixture of that one, I would not be surprised if your results were somewhat different. But yes, the point of the blend with the xanthin is to be able to use it instead.
Dédé, just made this using your flour blend. It’s turned out great! I used just half a cup of sugar, tho’, with no glaze, and the sweetness is just right for us.. So your flour blend works well as a replacement for Bob’s 🙂. Many thanks.
YAY! Thank you for letting us – and others – know. That is very helpful.
I make this loaf on a regular basis and always double the recipe. I purchased a bag of lemons, processed them into juice and zest and froze it to use as needed. And I’ve doubled the amount of juice as I enjoy a strong lemon flavor. The sugar was reduced to 1 cup for two loaves as overly sweet cookies and cakes are not my favourites. The flour blend is from America’s Test Kitchen and hasn’t failed yet. Once the loaves are baked and cooled, I slice them into even portions and freeze them, taking one slice at a time, served with fresh or frozen(thawed) strawberries. Scrumptious!
Sounds delicious! Always note that when you change ingredients you also risk changing FODMAP load. The flour mix that you use has introduced lactose to the recipe that was not there before.