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    Home » Cakes » Kefir Lemon Bread

    Published: Jan 8, 2018 · Modified: May 24, 2025 by Zerrin & Yusuf

    Kefir Lemon Bread

    Jump to Recipe

    If you love lemon, you need to bake this Kefir Lemon Bread, which is bursting with lemon flavor. Kefir makes it light and wonderfully moist. A quick lemon jam for the topping is a bonus. This bread is perfect for lemon lovers!

    This Kefir Lemon Bread is bursting with lemony flavor and kefir makes it wonderfully moist and light.

    Lemon is one of my favorite foods. If you have been following our blog for some time, you already know that because you must have seen several recipes based on lemon on the blog.

    Kefir Lemon Bread bursting with lemon flavor. Kefir makes it light and wonderfully moist. A quick lemon jam for the topping is a bonus.

    About The Recipe:

    1. The sharp flavor of kefir makes the lemony flavor more noticeable.
    2. If you don't have kefir on hand, you can use regular plain yogurt or Greek yogurt but you might need to change the amount of it depending on their thickness. Kefir is not as thick as these two, so you will need to reach the same consistency by mixing yogurt with some water.
    3. The quick lemon jam topping is optional but it's just another thing that makes this bread so good. For one thing, it gives a nice look on the bread. Plus, the lemon zest tastes like candy as it waits.
    4. The process can get even easier if you use a cake mix. Use 3 cups of your mix, leave out flour, sugar and baking powder. Then continue with the other ingredients listed in the recipe card below.
    Kefir Lemon Bread bursting with lemon flavor. Kefir makes it light and wonderfully moist. A quick lemon jam for the topping is a bonus.

    Below is the original post written about 7 years ago.

    It has been a long time since I wrote my last post. I have been working till late hours, so I can not even write back to your so much valuable comments. Hope you understand me. I didn't even notice that Give Recipe left a year behind until my hubby reminded me 4 days ago. He asked, “Aren’t you thinking of making something special to celebrate our child’s birthday?” You see, Give Recipe is like our child as he says I spend a big part of my time either dealing with it or thinking about it. I know I’ve neglected it since the school started (working as a teacher) but it’s always in my mind. However, I’m grateful to hubby for reminding me of my first blogoversary.

    It was on a weekday and unfortunately, I couldn’t make anything special, so I had to postpone it to this weekend. I was decisive on making something sweet as I think it’s not a real celebration if there is nothing sweet. I thought a lemon bread would be great to celebrate a blogoversary. And of course it wouldn’t be a real celebration without some guests, so we called a few friends and enjoyed this bread together with Turkish black tea.

    Finally, thanks a million to everyone for visiting Give Recipe and for helping me improve it with your comments, suggestions and questions.

    Lemon Cake | giverecipe.com

    As a big fan of lemon, I don’t want to waste any part of it. Believe it or not, I eat lemons with their rinds, they are not different from any other fruit. Most of my friends find it weird, but I do love the bitterish taste of their rind. When preparing the cake batter, I thought it would be great to garnish it with some slices of lemon rind. On the other hand, I didn't want that bitterness on my sweet bread, so although it wouldn't be a problem for me, I must find a way to make its rind sweet (for my friends). I just followed the steps similar to my usual jams, just in small amounts. You can play with the amounts of sugar and water to have the consistency you like.

    So when you put the bread aside, you can prepare the lemon jam to make your cake have a ‘lemon’ cake look. Slice the lemon rind thinly, put them in a small pan, add sugar and water in it. Heat it over medium stirring occasionally until the sugar melts and continue simmering over the lowest heat until it thickens. Then you can take it from heat and top your bread with it.

    More Sweet Bread Recipes

    • Vegan fresh fig bread with walnuts sliced on a ceramic plate.
      Fig Bread Recipe with Fresh Figs
    • This Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread recipe is a great way to sneak in zucchini. No different from a good lemon bread. Lemon juice and zest make it wonderfully lemony. Plus, kefir makes it super moist.
      Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread
    • Peach Bread with Walnuts is wonderfully moist and flavorful thanks to fresh peach chunks and cinnamon on its top.
      Fresh Peach Bread Recipe With Walnuts

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    📖 Recipe

    This Kefir Lemon Bread is bursting with lemony flavor and kefir makes it wonderfully moist and light.
    5 from 7 votes

    Kefir Lemon Bread

    By Zerrin & Yusuf
    A super moist and lemony bread with a quick lemon jam on the top.
    Yields: 10 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    PREP 10 minutes mins
    COOK 50 minutes mins
    TOTAL 1 hour hr

    INGREDIENTS
      

    For the bread:

    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup kefir
    • ½ cup sunflower oil grape seed, light olive oil, coconut oil are ok too
    • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
    • 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder

    For the jam on the top:

    • 2 lemons
    • 2 tablespoon sugar
    • ¾ cup water

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    For the bread:

    • Preheat oven at 350F. Butter a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
    • Cream eggs and sugar well. Add in kefir, oil, lemon zest and lemon juice.
    • Sift the flour into a bowl. Add it with baking powder into the wet mixture and mix just until combined.
    • Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    • Let it cool before removing from the pan and slice.
    • Serve with extra lemon zest or lemon jam and rosemary.

    For the lemon jam:

    • Slice the lemon zest thinly(mostly without the white parts), put them in a small pan, add sugar and water in it.
    • Heat it over medium heat stirring occasionaly until the sugar melts. Let it simmer until thickens.
    • Then you can take it from heat and garnish your cake.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 79mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 126IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    ADDITIONAL INFO

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 7 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. gastroanthropologist says

      January 18, 2010 at 4:20 am

      Happy blogoversary! Its a wonderful way to celebrate with a lemon cake.

      It has been a bit of a struggle to keep current on my blog and visiting others with the holidays and work!

      I love your recipes and post and have learned a lot about Turkish cuisine. Looking forward to your posts in your second year!

      Reply
    2. cuisinetouria says

      January 18, 2010 at 3:17 am

      salam zerrin
      I like lemon thnaks for sharing & happy birthday to tour blog

      Reply
    3. penny aka jeroxie says

      January 18, 2010 at 1:31 am

      happy bloggy day. this is simple but lovely cake. I always enjoy reading your post. thanks for sharing. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Azita says

      January 17, 2010 at 3:24 pm

      Happy anniversary!

      Best Wishes,

      Azita

      Reply
    5. DianaHayes says

      January 17, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      Happy blogoversary!I feel so priviledhed to share in all of your great cooking. Your lemoncake sounds so rich. A wonderful way to celebrate.

      Reply
    6. rowena says

      January 17, 2010 at 11:21 am

      I know how "demanding" a blog can be but what you share is priceless. Auguri (best wishes) and here's looking forward to another year of delicious food and recipes!

      Reply
    7. Tien says

      January 17, 2010 at 6:38 am

      Happy 1 year birthday. The cake looks so yummy and moist. I am happy that your share your family recipes with us. -Tien 🙂

      Reply
    8. anncoo says

      January 17, 2010 at 3:24 pm

      Happy Bogoversary! This is a pretty and yummy cake.

      Reply
    9. The Little Teochew says

      January 17, 2010 at 2:21 am

      A beautiful cake for a beautiful blog. Happy blog anniversary, Zerrin. I hope school started off well 🙂

      Reply
    10. Jessie says

      January 17, 2010 at 10:12 am

      wonderful lemon cake and happy blog-day to Give Recipe!

      Reply
    11. elra says

      January 16, 2010 at 9:33 pm

      Happy Blog Anniversary Zerin. Keep us the good work. Yes, your lemon cake look absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    12. Tangled Noodle says

      January 16, 2010 at 9:28 pm

      Congratulations on the first anniversary of your wonderful blog! I can't believe it's only been a year, given how many delicious recipes and incredible information you've shared with us. I apologize for being absent for so long from your site - the final 4 months of last year were so much busier than I'd expected as I tried to juggle classes and blogging. Unfortunately, the blogging part suffered.

      But as the new year begins, I hope that we will all find the opportunity to continue sharing and keeping in touch through this marvelous medium of blogs. Your lemon cake is yet another bright expression of your joyous spirit and love of cooking! I can't wait to see what you'll share with us next.

      Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!

      Reply
    13. timethief says

      January 16, 2010 at 8:02 pm

      This is my first visit to your blog and I'm here because I'm a lemon lover who will be trying this recipe. Thanks for sharing it.

      Please accept my very best wishes to you and your husband on this happy occasion, and may your readership grow by leaps and bounds in 2010. 🙂

      Reply
    14. Gera @ Sweets Foods Blog says

      January 16, 2010 at 7:06 pm

      Congrats for your 1 year Zerrin!!!
      Your blog is very enjoyable in every sense and you give a tasteful experience about Turkish cuisine and the delicious dishes.
      I expect many and many years to come and continuing with your wonderful recipes like this lemon cake yum yum 🙂

      Have a great weekend!

      Gera

      Reply
    15. OysterCulture says

      January 16, 2010 at 5:20 pm

      Happy Birthday to something truly special and the fact that it is co-produced by you and your husband, and I believe your mother-in-law if memory serves me does those wonderful drawings - makes it something really special. I cannot believe its only been a year, I've had so much fun learning about Turkish cuisine, gaining a new appreciation on something truly wonderful. Thank you and your husband for taking time out of your busy lives to educate us. Mine is so much richer as a result. I look forward to watching this little guy (or girl) grow and develop into something grand!

      Oh, and I love lemons too, and lemons plus baked goods is even better. Cannot wait to try your cake!

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

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