Savor the bright and zesty flavors of our Lemon Loaf Cake, a delightful treat that combines the perfect balance of sweetness and citrus tang. This moist and tender loaf, topped with a lemony icing, is sure to brighten your day with every bite.
Why You'll Love This:
- Citrus Bliss: The cake is infused with fresh lemon zest and juice, creating a burst of refreshing citrus flavor in every slice.
- Buttery and Moist: Made with rich, cultured butter, this loaf cake is incredibly moist and has a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Simple Elegance: This classic loaf cake is elegantly simple, making it a versatile dessert for various occasions.
- Lemon Icing: The luscious lemon icing drizzled over the cake adds an extra layer of zesty sweetness, making each bite pure bliss.
- Easy Baking: With straightforward instructions, this recipe is accessible to both beginner and experienced bakers.
Recipe
Lemon Loaf Cake:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a 1 pound 8.5×4.5″ baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add room-temperature, sliced unsalted cultured butter to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- In a 2-cup measuring glass, combine vanilla extract, room-temperature eggs, vegetable oil, room-temperature milk, fresh lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice.
- With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix to combine. If the mixture appears lumpy, increase the speed slightly for about 10-15 seconds to ensure thorough mixing.
- Use a rubber spatula to hand mix the batter, ensuring all ingredients are fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the surface is golden brown with a deep crack down the center.
- Allow the cake to cool for approximately 45 minutes at room temperature before preparing the icing.
Lemon Icing:
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and milk (or heavy cream) in a bowl until the icing is smooth. You can use either milk or cream, but cream will create a more opaque icing.
- The icing should have a consistency similar to glue. Adjust the thickness by gradually adding more powdered sugar if it's too thin or small splashes of milk or cream if it's too thick.
- Remove the loaf from the pan and pour the lemon icing on top. Spread it evenly, allowing it to drizzle over the sides.
- Slice the loaf and relish in the delightful combination of sweet and citrus flavors.
Enjoy!