As a presumed side effect of all my baking shenanigans over the years, I have come to learn [and accidentally memorize – my memory is weird; I swear I don’t keep creepy files on anyone!] my coworkers’ and friends’ food preferences. Apparently some people don’t like citrus, or at least not in their baked goods. What? Who ARE you people? I really try to be nonjudgmental, as everyone’s tastes are different. I’m also a huge fan of citrus: orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime… I love them all. So, so good. In my cooking, in my baking, in my smoothies, and just in general. Maybe I’m biased. But I just don’t get it. What is not to love about lemon, or any other citrus fruit for that matter?
All that to say, if you don’t like citrus – particularly lemon – then you should probably run away from this blog post right now (I’m still trying so hard to not judge, but it’s just one of my weaknesses in this case). Because I’ve already professed my undying love for lemons and citrus fruits – and now I’m about to delve even deeper.
This lemon cake was absolute perfection. I mean it. It’s perfectly moist, tart, and bursting with lemon flavor. It’s apparently a Starbucks copy cat, but I can’t say that I consume Starbucks’ baked goods very often – so I can’t vouch for that comparison. The cake is sweet enough, but not cloyingly sweet. The glaze locks in the moisture and adds the best lemon zing possible. Actually, I took this particular loaf cake to my day job, and I only ended up eating one small slice since I gave the rest away. I’m still kicking myself for that because I really wish I had the opportunity to eat more. Oh well. I guess that’s an excuse for me to make another loaf, huh? 😉
PS: If you don’t like citrus – can you please enlighten me as to why you don’t like the flavor? Despite the fact that this post is riddled with sarcasm, I actually don’t mean to sound snobby when I ask that question. As someone who practically loves every flavor known to (wo)man, I just don’t understand why people don’t like citrus. Seriously. Inquiring minds want to know. 🙂 And I’d also argue that even if you think you don’t like citrus in your baked goods, you should still give this loaf a chance. You might find that you’re pleasantly surprised by it.
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Lemon Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze.
Yield: One 9×5″ loaf.
Ingredients:
For the loaf cake:
– 3 large eggs
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used full-fat sour cream, but apparently light is okay.)
– 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
– 2 TBSP. lemon zest
– 1 to 2 TBSP. lemon extract, to taste (Yes, tablespoons; do not use lemon oil or lemon juice in place here; pure lemon extract is necessary.)
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 2 tsp. baking powder
– 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
For the lemon glaze:
– 1 cup powdered sugar
– 3 TBSP. fresh lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×5″ loaf pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper (or grease/flour the pan); set aside.
2. To make the lemon loaf: add the eggs, sugar, and sour cream to a large bowl and whisk well until smooth and combined.
3. Drizzle the oil into the first mixture, and whisk to combine.
4. Add the lemon zest and lemon extract and whisk to combine. {Note: You can add a bit less lemon zest/extract than what is called for if you find that it’s too strong. Remember to not substitute lemon oil or lemon juice in the loaf itself. Oil can alter the flavor, as it’s much more potent. Lemon juice has too much acidity and can alter the final results of the cake, so be sure to use pure lemon extract and fresh lemon zest for this!}
5. Next, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until just combined. Be careful to not over-mix. The batter will be slightly lumpy, but that’s okay; don’t attempt to stir them to make the batter smooth. Pour the batter into your prepared and smooth the top lightly with a spatula if necessary.
6. Bake the loaf cake for about 50-52 minutes, or until the top is domed, set, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. {Note: If you find that the top is getting too browned, simply place a sheet of foil over the pan so it can continue baking through.}
7. Allow the cake to cool in the loaf pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.
8. To make the lemon glaze: add the powdered sugar to a small bowl, and slowly add in the lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and combined. Feel free to experiment with the sugar to juice ratios for your desired consistency and flavor. I added more lemon zest to the glaze for aesthetics and an extra burst of flavor. Evenly drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf, then slice and serve. Loaf cake should keep well for several days in an airtight container. Enjoy!
+ Recipe via Averie Cooks.
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