Triple Citrus Quick Bread with Lemon, Lime and Orange

Triple Citrus Quick Bread with lemon, lime, and orange—a moist, easy loaf perfect for beginner bakers and seasonal baking.

Triple Citrus Quick Bread with Lemon, Lime and Orange

This Triple Citrus Quick Bread has become one of those recipes I return to again and again, especially during the in-between seasons when I want to make something simple and delicious. After the busy Christmas season I am tired of making cookies, candy and other sweet treats. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy being in the kitchen and that is where quick bread comes in. It comes together in minutes, is not overly sweet and has a delicious citrus flavor.

Today I am joining Sheri for our monthly series “Sweet Treats for Your Sweet Tooth.” Each month we share our favorite version of a sweet treat, everything from cookies, bars, cakes, puddings and more. If you don’t know Sheri she is a professional photographer and the writer of the Sheri Silver blog. You can find a link to her recipe at the end of the post.

The Beauty of Simple Baking

There is something comforting about quick breads. There are no complicated steps or special equipment, typically you mix the dry with the wet, pour it into a pan and bake.

Unlike traditional breads, quick breads don’t use yeast. There’s no kneading, no rising time, and no wondering if the dough is actually going to do what it is supposed to, which truthfully mine never does.

For beginner bakers or anyone who likes to bake quick breads are a wonderful place to start.

All that you need are pantry staples, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk and baking powder. And in this case, a trio of colorful citrus fruits that brings everything together.

Why Triple Citrus Makes This Bread Special

Most citrus breads are made with a single flavor, usually lemon. And while lemon bread is lovely, combining lemon, lime, and orange creates something more interesting with a delicious, fresh flavor.

If lemon is one of your favorite flavors try my Lemon Pistachio Bread, Preserved Lemon Tea Cake or Lemon Crumb Bars. 

In this bread the secret is the zest. If you are new to baking with citrus, the zest of the fruit is where the flavor lives. The tiny flecks of zest contain essential oils that have more flavor than the juice alone. In fact, while you are zesting, why not make yourself some lemon sugar to use later. Simply add some zest to sugar, massage it with your fingers and voila, a delicious addition to your morning tea or my favorite basil lemonade.

A Tip for Perfect Quick Bread

If there is one thing to remember when making quick bread, it’s this: always mix lightly.

Once the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients, stir just until the flour disappears. The batter should look slightly lumpy, not perfectly smooth and even have a few streaks of flour. Overmixing quick bread creates gluten which can make the bread heavy rather than light and tender.

What You Need to Make Triple Citrus Bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup finely diced candied lemon
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter,< melted and cooled
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice or orange juice

How to Make Triple Citrus Bread

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper.
  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the orange, lemon and lime zests and the candied lemon and toss to distribute evenly.
• In medium mixing  bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread on the middle oven rack until the top of the loaf is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then turn the loaf out onto the rack and let cool completely to room temperature before adding glaze.
• While the bread cools make the fresh citrus glaze or if you prefer lemon glaze. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl then the fresh citrus juice, add a little at a time so that the glaze is pourable. Mix until smooth then pour onto the cooled triple citrus loaf.

Notes

• Room temperature ingredients are best. Let the eggs, and milk sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before you start baking.
• Zest the citrus before you juice it. It’s much easier to zest a whole piece of fruit than it is to zest one that’s been cut in half and juiced.
• Don’t skip the parchment paper. It makes removing the bread from the pan so much easier, and it prevents the bottom from sticking.
• If you don’t have a zester, use the smallest holes on a box grater. Just be careful not to grate too deeply and get the white pith, which is bitter. As always when using a grater or microplane be careful of your fingers.
• Sprinkle the top of the batter with granulated sugar before baking if you do not want to make the simple citrus glaze.

​How to serve Triple Citrus Quick Bread

• Slather it while warm with fresh creamy butter.

• Serve alongside morning coffee or afternoon tea

• Lightly toasted the next day

• With yogurt and a drizzle of honey

How to store Quick Bread

Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to three days.For longer storage wrap in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil, the bread will keep for up to 3 months.

Until Next Time

I hope that you enjoyed this easy quick bread recipe for Triple Citrus Bread. Like many baked goods, it often tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together. Sometimes you don’t need a special occasion to bake, just a quiet morning and a favorite recipe.

If you like the post please share and don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) or Pinterest.

Don’t forget to hop over to visit Sheri and see her recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake. 

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Triple Citrus Quick Bread with Lemon, Lime and Orange

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Triple Citrus Quick Bread with lemon, lime, and orange—a moist, easy loaf perfect for beginner bakers and seasonal baking.

• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 1 loaf 1x

Ingredients

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• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup finely diced candied lemon
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter,< melted and cooled
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice or orange juice

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Instructions

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spray 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the orange, lemon and lime zests and the candied lemon and toss to distribute evenly.

In medium mixing  bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread on the middle oven rack until the top of the loaf is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out onto the rack and let cool completely to room temperature before adding glaze.

While the bread cools make the fresh citrus glaze or if you prefer lemon glaze. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl then the fresh citrus juice, add a little at a time so that the glaze is pourable. Mix until smooth then pour onto the cooled triple citrus loaf.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma.

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 55-60 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Bakes