High-Protein Raspberry-Lemon Ricotta Bread

This Raspberry-Lemon Ricotta Bread is a perfect grab-and-go breakfast or midafternoon snack. This bread is bedazzled with antioxidant-rich raspberries that partner with bright lemon for a classic flavor combo. We use half whole-wheat flour in this bread to add more fiber, and incorporate ricotta cheese for a potent protein punch. Unlike a lot of quick breads, we keep the added sugar low, using just a little sugar and adding unsweetened applesauce—which also helps keep this bread moist—for some natural sweetness. Almonds add an amazing crunch and a drizzle of lemon glaze provides the perfect finishing touch. Keep reading for our expert tips, including which ingredients could be swapped with what. 

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Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Don’t worry if your butter mixture looks a bit separated after adding the eggs. The batter will blend together nicely once you incorporate the flour and the other wet ingredients.
• This bread bakes perfectly in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Using a smaller pan to make the loaf taller may lead to unsatisfactory results.
• We recommend lining your pan with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang. This will make it easier to lift the bread out once it’s done baking. Also, be sure the bread is cool before slicing, so you get nice, even slices instead of a crumbled mess.
• Be sure to drizzle on the glaze only after the bread has completely cooled. If you don’t like lemon, feel free to use a favorite glaze instead, or a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar.

Nutrition Notes

• Raspberries’ deep red color indicates the antioxidants they contain—anthocyanins, lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants have been linked with a healthy heart, skin and eyes, and a slower aging process thanks to their inflammation-busting ability. Plus, raspberries reign as the highest-fiber berry. This fiber will keep things moving through your gut, plus it feeds your gut-loving bacteria.
• Ricotta cheese adds muscle-building protein to this bread. The protein will also help slow down how quickly the bread is digested, which helps stabilize blood sugar, especially when combined with the fiber in the other ingredients.
• Whole-wheat flour brings its fiber to this bread, which, like the protein, helps stabilize blood sugar. We use half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose flour in this bread because while whole-wheat flour has the fiber that all-purpose doesn’t, using all whole-wheat would weigh this bread down and create a dense loaf.
• Almonds bring more fiber and protein to this bread, plus healthy fats. All these nutrients work together to slow down digestion, helping the energy you get from the flours last longer. Bonus: The vitamin E in almonds is fantastic for your skin!