Lemon Bread

This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Bread is moist and fluffy, sweet and tangy, and covered in a rich lemon buttercream frosting. It comes together in one bowl and is refined sugar free too. Perfect for dessert or an indulgent breakfast or brunch.

Lemon Bread

Ingredients

For the lemon bread:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
• 8 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (use unwaxed lemons)
• 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the lemon frosting:

• 100 g (2/3 cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

For the lemon bread:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
• Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, maple syrup and ground almonds

• Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
• Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
• Transfer mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
• Once out the oven, transfer the loaf from the baking tin onto a wired rack to leave it to cool completely before applying the frosting

For the lemon frosting:

• Drain soaked cashews and add to a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients
• Whizz until completely smooth, adding some water or plant-based milk to thin out if necessary

To frost and decorate:

• Use a knife (or palette knife) to spread frosting over the top of the loaf
• Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

*You can alternatively use almond flour.

This is definitely a sweet recipe – it’s similar to Lemon Cake. To make it less sweet, you can halve the amount of maple syrup and omit the frosting.

Tips for baking with lemons

• For optimum lemon flavour, I would recommend using fresh lemons (not ones that you’ve had sitting in your fruit bowl for weeks!) and organic ones if possible.
• You have to be careful when baking with lemon juice as the acidity and lemon flavour can really vary depending on the lemons you use.
• For the bread batter, I would recommend tasting the lemon juice you’re using and adjusting the amount of lemon juice you use accordingly.
• For the frosting, I would recommend tasting it as you’re making it and adding extra lemon juice if necessary.

https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/lemon-bread/