Quick And Easy Lemon Almond Bread Recipe

"This lemon almond bread," raves recipe developer Jessica Morone, "is one of the most delicious things I've ever made." She's never before realized how well the flavors of almond and lemon go together, but now she feels that "they really are a perfect match." The quick bread itself gets just a hint of almond from the inclusion of almond flour, but this flavor is intensified by almond extract, while the lemon comes in the form of zest. The glaze on top is pure lemon juice (plus some sugar, of course), but Morone notes that if you opt to add almonds on top, "they do add a nice crunch to the bread" and will also add to the overall almond flavor.

Besides how good the bread tastes, Morone says, "One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is." It's a quick bread as opposed to a yeast bread, so this makes it pretty simple to begin with, but Morone points out, "For this [recipe], you only need to use one bowl to make the bread batter, and that makes it extra easy."

The bread itself is made from a combination of almond and all-purpose flour combined with vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and it's flavored with almond extract and lemon zest. The glaze is nothing more than powdered sugar thinned out with lemon juice, so once you've zested the lemon for the bread, you can then squeeze it to make the topping.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Spray a standard, 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and sugar until well combined.

Add in the eggs, almond extract, sour cream, and lemon zest, and whisk until smooth.

Sift the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredients.

Mix gently until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

While the bread is cooling, add powdered sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled lemon almond bread. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the bread, if desired.

Cut and serve.

Morone says of this lemon-almond loaf, "I consider this more of a breakfast bread [because] it does go really well with coffee or tea in the morning." She also says that it would make for a great mid-morning or afternoon snack, again with a hot (and maybe caffeinated) beverage. "It is good all on its own," she assures us, and goes on to say, "You don't have to spread anything additional on it or serve anything with it."

An exception might be made if you wanted to serve it as a dessert since Morone admits that this loaf isn't quite as sweet as a cake. You could, however, top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet, or perhaps spread it with jam or fruit compote, blop on some whipped cream, and then garnish it with fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Either of these actions would turn the bread into a sweetly satisfying meal-ender.

Morone's suggestion is to store this loaf at room temperature in an airtight container because she doesn't care to refrigerate quick breads or muffins. As she explains, "That can change the texture of them." The problem with room temperature storage is that you've only got 4 days max to eat the whole loaf. If you don't mind the bread becoming a bit drier, however, you can always refrigerate it to extend the shelf life. If you find it gets too dry, you can use the leftovers to elevate your bread pudding or make the absolute best French toast.

Of course, you can also freeze any uneaten lemon-almond bread. Make sure that the loaf has not only cooled down completely but also that the glaze has set. Wrap it up nice and tight — a layer of foil inside a plastic freezer bag would work well –- and then freeze it until you want to eat it. "Once you are ready," Morone says, "just thaw it to room temperature before serving it."