1 ½cups(340g)plain yogurt, Greek or regular, or lemon yogurt
½cup(98g)vegetable or canola oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
½cup(130g)unsweetened applesauce
4large(200g)eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3cups(426g)all-purpose flour
1tablespoonbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
Glaze:
⅓cupfresh lemon juice (from the lemons that were zested for the bread)
4tablespoonsgranulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2 inch pans with cooking spray.
For the bread, in a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and rub the mixture together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the yogurt, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until well-combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake the bread until the top of the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes.
For the glaze, while the bread is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 20 seconds until the sugar is dissolved. The glaze will be thin. Remove from the heat. Keep warm.
Spoon or drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm bread (still in the bread pans). Let the glazed bread sit in the bread pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.