1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil or butter and line it with a strip of parchment paper for easy removal.

2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs (or flax eggs). Whisk in the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest (if using) until the mixture is smooth.

4. Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold them together with a spatula until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.

5. Layer Batter: Pour about half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out evenly.

6. Add First Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of half the jam over the batter. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the jam into the batter.

7. Repeat: Top with the remaining batter, spreading it to cover the layer below. Dot with the remaining jam and swirl again on top.

8. Bake: Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (sticky jam on the toothpick is fine, but wet batter is not).

9. Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.