This post may contain affiliate links.
Lemon loaf is a beloved sweet treat that has become popular in many parts of the world. While its exact origins are not documented, it is believed to have evolved from traditional lemon pound cake recipes. Lemon cakes have been enjoyed for centuries, with lemon being a common flavoring agent in European and Mediterranean cuisines. Being Italian, I love using citrus which is common in both cakes and cookies.
Why Gluten-Free
While I love sharing recipes like this gluten-free lemon bread it is important to know how we got here and how to modify a recipe for your needs, which is why I started teaching in the first place. Most kitchens are stocked with all purpose flour which is wheat.
Wheat has 3 main issues worth noting:
1. It is sprayed with glyphosate (Round Up) as a desiccant prior to harvesting and that glyphosate is damaging the lining of our gut. Dr Stephanie Seneff has written a book, Toxic Legacy, on this.
2. The processing removes the bran and germ, leaving only the starch.
“Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life. But it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, corn grits, white bread, and white rice.”
MyPlate.gov
3. Brominated flour has bromine as an anti-caking agent, which can displace iodine.
For years I have spoken to professional groups, nurses, social workers, etc, and speculated that gluten was ‘guilty by association’ and we could be seeing glyphosate intolerance and anticipated the number of people affected would increase. If you still use any wheat in your house I recommend Guardian Grains for regeneratively grown, stone-milled grains without glyphosate or bromine.
Types of Flour
There are many types of flour all with different consistency and texture. So many people had questions that I started teaching cooking classes. Learning to use various flours can be challenging. Since 2008 I have been gluten-free and before all the choices available today, I had to make my own gluten-free flour blend. Many experiments with alternative flours, like coconut flour, were unsuccessful the first time.
My favorite flour to use, on a regular basis, is almond flour, which swaps 1:1 in almost every recipe that calls for wheat. It has a lower glycemic index (better for blood sugar), but when baking with the kids I often start with a rice flour blend, like Namaste. I chose Namaste flour because it is a “clean” brand, but you could use any GF flour replacement. GF flour blends can sometimes be “gummy” but the texture is most closely related to wheat.
Dairy and Butter
In this recipe, I use almond milk, but I also use butter. Most people with a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance can tolerate butter. This has been my personal experience based on years of teaching an elimination protocol and coaching individuals.
“However, unlike most dairy products, butter contains very low amounts of lactose. Therefore, people who must follow a lactose-free diet are usually able to eat it without problems. Some children with an allergy to cow’s milk also seem to be able to tolerate butter.”
Healthline.com
If you would like to replace the butter in this recipe I recommend lard or coconut oil. What I wanted to avoid in this recipe was the use of pasteurized milk, sour cream or cream cheese. Often these heavy creams are used for moisture and richness.
As a processed food addiction coach, it is my intent to move away from these heavy “comfort foods” which activate the morphine pathway in the brain, and keep our lemon loaves much lighter. Adding more citrus, fresh lemon juice and orange juice helps brighten the flavor and lighten them up.
Less Sugar
Coconut sugar is the lowest glycemic index sweetener, being about half of the glycemic load as refined white sugar. Other recipes will have granulated sugar, which is cane sugar and most recipes call for a powdered sugar glaze. This is just too much sugar. I drizzled these loaves with a touch of honey.
Sugar addiction is a real thing and the reason I began teaching kids. Often when we use less sugar the comments are, “It doesn’t have much flavor” so I worked on giving this recipe a bright lemon flavor, even with less sugar.
Coconut sugar having a Glycemic Index of 35 is an easier transition, in my opinion, than using monk fruit, stevia, or a sugar alcohol. I can talk more about those in another post.
I teach every skill level with the intent to empower the student to learn various options. This delicious recipe is a gluten-free option, but we would discuss options on how to make this with regenerative wheat or even grain-free, using almond flour or coconut flour.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with Avocado Oil. (I do not recommend canola.)
Use grater or zester to zest a lemon and an orange.
In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, orange and lemon zest. Sift in baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer.
Once fluffy, add the lemon juice, orange juice, dairy-free milk, the eggs and mix to combine.
Add flour mixture a little at a time until well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 min. Check the center of a loaf with a toothpick and if it comes out clean it’s done.
NOTE: the pan I used was a dark metal which bakes faster. Yours could bake just under 45 minutes or need to bake an additional 10 minutes.
Place loaves on a cooling rack.
Optional honey drizzle: Use a touch of honey and drizzle on lemon loaves once cooled. You will notice I omitted the powdered sugar lemon glaze that so many recipes call for. Be mindful of how much sugar you are adding and simplify.
This is an easy recipe and the mini loaf pan is a good investment. In my experience with kids, they like hand-held, “kid-sized” treats. It is likely that the extra cost of the pan will be offset by the portion control that it provides.
Please feel free to play with this recipe based on your needs.
Easy Lemon Loaves
Equipment
- 1 Muffin Tin I used this Wilton Mini Loaf Pan
- Grater or Zester
Ingredients
- 3 cups GF flour blend, I used Namaste, see note below on wheat *
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest grated
- 2 tablespoon orange zest grated
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 5 eggs
Optional: Honey to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with Avocado Oil.
- Use grater or zester to zest a lemon and an orange.
- In a mixing bowl, combine together the flour, orange and lemon zest. Sift in baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
- Once fluffy, add the lemon juice, orange juice, almond milk, the eggs and mix to combine.
- Add flour mixture a little at a time until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared mini loaf pan and bake for 45 min. Check the center of a loaf with a toothpick and if it comes out clean it’s done. NOTE: the pan I used was a dark metal which bakes faster. Yours could bake just under 45 minutes or need to bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Let loaves cool on a wire rack.
- Optional honey drizzle: Use a touch of honey and drizzle on lemon loaves once cooled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
