Dairy-Free Raspberry Lemon Loaf

Jump to Recipe

With spring finally in full swing, I'm craving all of the spring flavors and this Dairy-Free Raspberry Lemon Loaf combines all of the best! It's a dairy-free recipe (using dairy-free yogurt), but you could make it with regular yogurt as well. The fresh raspberries are complemented by the bright and light lemon flavor, and the glaze on top is a wonderful sweet note to the loaf.

As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!

Ingredients you'll need

• Granulated sugar: this is the base of the sweetness in this loaf (other than the berries).
• Dairy-free plain or vanilla yogurt: you could also use a regular yogurt here, or even try it with sour cream!
• Eggs: they'll be best at room temperature for this recipe
• Lemon zest and juice: just a bit to punch up the lemon flavor. Fresh-squeezed juice will be best!
• Vegetable or canola oil: a neutral oil is all you need; either of these will work well.
• Vanilla extract: you can also make your own! Check out my homemade vanilla extract recipe.
• Raspberries: fresh or frozen will work well. If they're frozen, don't thaw them before adding to the batter. You want to make sure to add the berries carefully so you don't crush them and start dying the batter red.
• Powdered sugar: this is the base of the icing that will be mixed with lemon juice and vanilla extract
• A few pantry staples including all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.

Equipment you'll need

It's a very simple recipe with very little needed by way of equipment. A few things to get started:

• 9x5 inch Loaf Pan from Amazon: you can use a different size, just be aware the baking time will change with different size pans
• Cuisinart Mixing Bowls from Amazon
• GIR Spatulas from Amazon
• Nordic Ware Cooling Rack from Amazon

A note on the raspberries

You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries with this recipe. If using fresh berries, make sure to fold them into the batter very gently so as not to crush any berries. If you do, it'll still taste great, but it will start to streak your batter (and your loaf) with red juice.

If you're using frozen berries, don't thaw them before putting them into the batter. The frozen berries will hold up better when you're adding them to the mixture. Again, you'll still want to be careful here.

Making the lemon glaze

To make the lemon glaze, combine powdered sugar with lemon juice and vanilla extract. I prefer for this glaze to be rather thick, like more of an icing, so it doesn't just fall off of the loaf. To do this, add the liquid just a little bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You can always add more liquid, but you can't take any out!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use dairy-free yogurt in this recipe?

You could make this recipe with regular yogurt as well. Sour cream could also be interesting to try!

Do I need to make the icing?

I highly recommend the icing, but you could certainly enjoy it without! It will be less sweet, but still a delicious loaf.

How should I store this loaf?

Cakes and loaves with fresh berries take a little more care with storage as they're more susceptible to mold. Store the loaf in an airtight container (or on a plate with plastic wrap) in a cool, dry place at room temperature. Your pantry is a perfect place!

Below is my recipe for Dairy-Free Raspberry Lemon Loaf. I hope you love it! Leave a comment and let me know what you think!