Lavender Honey Loaf Quick Bread

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 10 slices (1 standard loaf)
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 tsp culinary lavender buds
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2/3 cup (225 g) honey
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• Optional glaze: 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar + 1 tbsp honey + 1–2 tsp infused milk

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment; grease.
• 2. Warm milk to steaming; add lavender. Cover and steep 15 minutes; strain and cool.
• 3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• 4. Whisk eggs, honey, melted butter, yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Whisk in cooled infused milk.
• 5. Fold wet into dry just until combined; scrape into pan.
• 6. Bake 50–60 minutes until a tester comes out clean; tent with foil if browning early.
• 7. Cool 15 minutes in pan, then on a rack. Drizzle optional glaze once fully cool; slice.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Delicate floral aroma from a gentle lavender infusion—never overpowering.
• Naturally sweetened with honey for a moist, tender crumb and warm flavor.
• Simple quick bread method—no mixer, no yeast, just whisk and bake.
• Versatile: enjoy plain, lightly glazed, or dressed up with citrus or almond.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 lemon (for zest)
• Dairy: Whole milk, unsalted butter, eggs, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Pantry: Culinary lavender buds, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, honey, vanilla extract, powdered sugar (for optional glaze)

Full Ingredients

Lavender-Infused Milk

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk
• 2 tsp dried culinary lavender buds

Lavender-Honey Loaf

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (225 g) honey
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Optional Lavender-Honey Glaze

• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1–2 tsp reserved lavender-infused milk (or regular milk), to thin
• Pinch of fine salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and preheat

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling for easy removal. If using a 9×5-inch pan, the loaf will be slightly shorter and may bake a few minutes faster.

Step 2: Infuse the milk with lavender

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, add the lavender buds, cover, and steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the buds to extract flavor. Let the infused milk cool to lukewarm before using.

Step 3: Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined and airy. Set aside.

Step 4: Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the honey, melted butter (cooled slightly), yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Whisk until glossy and unified. Whisk in the cooled lavender-infused milk. The mixture should be smooth and fluid; if it looks curdled, keep whisking gently until it comes together.

Step 5: Bring it together

Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Using a spatula, fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine and keep the crumb tender. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Step 6: Bake

Bake on the center rack for 50–60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. If the top is browning quickly around 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (internal temperature 200–205°F / 93–96°C).

Step 7: Cool, glaze, and slice

Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out and cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, honey, a pinch of salt, and just enough infused milk to reach a thick-drizzle consistency. Spoon over the cooled loaf, let set 10 minutes, then slice with a serrated knife.

Pro Tips

• Use only culinary lavender; other lavenders can be bitter or perfumy. Start with 2 tsp—lavender intensifies as it bakes.
• Keep the infusion gentle. Overheating or steeping too long can turn the flavor soapy; 15 minutes is plenty.
• Weigh your flour if possible (240 g). Too much flour makes quick breads dry and dense.
• Honey browns faster than sugar. Baking at 325°F and tenting with foil prevents over-browning.
• For the cleanest slices, cool completely and use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.

Variations

• Lemon-Lavender Loaf: Add 2 tsp lemon zest to the batter and swap the glaze milk for fresh lemon juice.
• Almond-Lavender: Replace 1/2 cup (60 g) of the flour with fine almond flour; sprinkle the top with 2 tbsp sliced almonds before baking.
• Dairy-Free: Use a neutral oil (1/2 cup) instead of butter and a dairy-free yogurt and milk for the infusion.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the cooled loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven. You can make the lavender-infused milk up to 2 days ahead—refrigerate and bring to room temperature before mixing the batter. If glazing, apply after the loaf is fully cool; glazed slices also freeze well.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per slice (1 of 10), without glaze: 280 calories; 11 g fat; 43 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 0.8 g fiber; 220 mg sodium. With glaze: add about 30–40 calories and 8 g carbs per slice.