This loaf is so moist and tasty with a fresh pop of lemon! Not as heavy as a poundcake...it's a great afternoon snack with coffee. Thanks to Sally's Baking Addiction book for the recipe!
I think a really good recipe for lemon loaf is important for everyone to have in their back pocket. They're easy to whip together as a gift for friends and family or simply pull one from the freezer when expecting company.
This recipe makes a wonderfully moist and light lemon loaf to enjoy with coffee on a Spring afternoon. It doesn't require the glaze either - if you are trying to cut down on sugar, but it does offer the extra punch of lemon that I love! You can use less icing sugar...as I do...and have a glaze that soaks in and adds to the moisture. Or if you prefer a thick sugary topping, just add more icing sugar to the glaze until it's as thick as you like. Just note that it will be very sweet.
I always microwave my lemons for a few seconds before getting started. It's crazy the amount of juice you miss out on extracting when you simply cut and squeeze a lemon when they are too cold. You can test out this tip by measuring the amount of juice you get out of a cold lemon versus the microwave method. This recipe uses 2 whole large lemons anyway so - go ahead and give it a try!
The other trick I like to do when using citrus zest, is zesting it right over top of the white sugar I will be using. So all the oils in the air will land down in the sugar. Then I press the zest with a wooden spoon into the sugar so it really makes the sugar fragrant and full of flavour. Then continue with the recipe as it's written.
Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter and add the sugar mixture and cream together until light in colour. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Then the lemon juice. Then slowly alternate the dry ingredients with the milk. Don't over mix. And you're ready for it to go in the oven! Just make sure you tent it with foil half way if you find it darkening too fast. Enjoy!
Please let me know if you try this recipe! I would love to hear from you below in the comments!
Glazed Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted butter, room temp
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tbsp)*
zest of 2 large lemons**
1/2 cup milk***
Glaze
juice of 1 large lemon
3/4 cup icing sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Grease loaf pan with shortening and add a piece of parchment for easiest removal
Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter
Add lemon-zested sugar to butter**
Beat on medium until light in colour
Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined
Add lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Scrape bowl as needed
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet while alternating with milk
Do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes depending on your oven
Tent half way with foil if browning too much
Cool completely in pan
For the glaze
Combine lemon juice and icing sugar
Drizzle over the loaf before serving (I like my glaze more tart/less sweet so it soaks into the loaf)
Tips
*Get the most juice out of your lemons by microwaving for a few seconds and rolling them on the counter under the palm of your hand
**Whenever I need to use zest plus white granulated sugar in a recipe, I add the zest to the sugar first then press the zest into the sugar to expel more of the oils. I find you get more flavour this way right from the beginning
***Milk alternatives work for this recipe too. I like to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk because that's what I normally have on hand
