I don’t often bake with yeast, but when I do, this lovely lemon bread I found on the King Arthur Flour website is one of my favorites. If you are in the mood to bake and can’t quite figure out what you want to make, just hang out a while on this website and you’ll be inspired. I promise!
Lemon Bread
Ingredients
Scale
- Sponge:
- 3/4 C warm water
- 2 t sugar
- 1 T instant yeast
- 1/2 C flour
- Dough:
- All of the sponge
- 3/4 C plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 C sugar
- 2 t salt
- 2 t vanilla
- 5 C Flour
- Cream Cheese filling:
- 2/3 C cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C sour cream
- 2 t fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 C flour
- 1/2 C prepared lemon curd
- Egg wash:
- 1 egg whisked with 1 t water
- Coarse sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sponge ingredients, stir well to combine and cover with plastic wrap
- Set aside for 15 minutes until the sponge gets all bubbly and happy
- Place the sponge in a mixing bowl with the yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and 4 1/2 C of the flour
- Mix with a stand mixer until it is a rough shaggy mess (see pic below)
- Switch to a dough hook or turn it out on the counter, and knead until the dough comes together nicely and springs back when you poke it
- If using the dough hook, which is soooo much easier, knead the dough about six minutes on speed 2, add flour in both cases if needed to make a soft smooth dough
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about an hour and a half or until the dough has nearly doubled
- When it has almost finished rising, make the cream cheese mixture by combining all the filling ingredients, except the lemon curd, in a small bowl
- When the dough has finish rising, gently deflate it and cut it in half
- Roll 1/2 of the dough on parchment paper into roughly a 10 x 15 in inch rectangle
- Cut into three lengthwise strips and spread half the cream cheese mixture on the center strip, followed by 1/2 of the lemon curd
- Braid the dough like you would braid hair, tucking and adjusting as necessary
- Repeat with the other half of the dough
- Brush both loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sugar
- Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown
Happy, bubbly sponge
Rough shaggy mess
It doesn’t have to be perfect, mine certainly wasn’t and it turned out really well.
Most excellent! I ate one right out of the oven and then carefully wrapped the other to reheat and eat later.
xxoo,
RMW
Your braid is beautiful~ I love lemon curd and cream cheese together!
That looks so delicious! I just made lemon cheesecake bars this week, and it was my first time making lemon curd~wonderful stuff!
That rich …! I like! Excellent recipe and beautiful photos.
Great recipe! I can just imagine how amazing these smelled baking.
WHY do I always end up reading your posts when I am starving?? I don’t have the King Arthur flour, but I do have everything else, including the lemon curd, which should be a staple in every household. Thing is, I am in the middle of packing to move to coastal Georgia, and I am too tired to bake ANYTHING!! We are heading out on Monday.
Yum yum yum. This sound delicious and I am going to give it to my son’s sweetie. She loves to bake and is so good at it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
We don’t get King Arthur flour but I know mum aka Barbara from Barbara Bakes uses it a lot so it must be good!
yummy! I want to taste it!!!
ヽ(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)人(´Д｀)
Amiko
I’ve never used King Arthur Flour even though years ago I used to make bread every week. These days it’s more like two or three times a year, but I will make it a point next time I’m baking to try the King Arthur brand.
These look delicious! Your wonderful photos draw me in and make me what to bake your yummy creations!
My dear friend,
My wife only bakes with the King’s flour. You always tease me with such delicious food.
I have never heard of this flour, but what you made looks really good. Thanks for sharing
What a gorgeous braid! It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing King Arthur Flour with your readers! I’m so glad you’ve noticed the positive difference it makes in baking. In case it’s of interest, you can learn more about what sets KAF apart on our website – but you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned consistent performance: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/flours/commitment.html
Happy baking!
Oh, wow! How I wish I lived next door to you!!
I’ve never even heard of King Arthur flour, but I will tell my mom who is a great baker. And I’m giving her the recipe, too.
Thanks.
=)
I can imagine what your house smelled like when this was baking! What a fabulous bread!
Beautifully presented too.
I don’t bake but if I do, I’ll probably use King Arthur Flour and also because you make everything look delicious!
thanks for your visit & have a great day.
Wow! Your “K” flour cake really looks yummy when you got it baked. Save a piece for me, please.
..
That looks entirely too good. I will have to check to see if we have King Arthur in this area. I looked up lemon curd and think I need to make some of that also as a spread. Thanks.
I am making this, this weekend, for sure!
I love to bake bread and do it at least
twice a week.. no store bought for me!
This one looks especially good..
and I also use King Arthur!
thanks for sharing
Sandy
You make it look so easy♫ My baking skills are very limited!
I’ve never heard of King Arthur Flour, but then I’m no cook! Have to ask my DH about this… Looks delicious – I love cream cheese! {:-D
Goodness I want to come over and visit with you! You are so awesome baking this yummy looking treat! I always admire your lovely photos.
I was going to print the recipe as my hubby loves doing pastry; but then I thought: Does he really need to eat all that, cause he would! Love the layout of your blog and the little pictures.
Liz
Oh, it looks like it came out great!
I do like the King Arthur products very much! Thy have some very nice mixes, too.
I would love to eat it but I am far too lazy to bake, lol !
I’ve not seen King Arthur flour in our grocery stores. It was probably carried in Jubilee Grocery in Branson – an hour and a half away. They carried a lot of unusual items not seen locally in our small town. However, I’m not sure if they are rebuilding or not after the tornado… Your bread looks marvelous! I can almost smell and taste it!
Oh my goodness that looks good – could you please pack up a bag of that flour and bring it on up here with you. Bed and Breakfast in return for baking???
I have not heard of King Arthur’s flour, so I will keep my eye on this at the grocery store..
If Sue lives right next door to you on the right side, I’ll be on the left side, and vice versa
The King Arthur catalog is amazing for sure! I once won a $250 gift certificate to shop there and I got all kinds of amazing stuff!
They often have oneline coupons to make shopping there a little more eKonimical!
Thanks for a luscious link for the letter ‘L’.
A+