For the lemon lovers out there, here is a recipe full of natural tart lemon flavor.
I set out to make a lemon loaf like the one my boys {who are endless lemon lovers} drool over at the coffee shop. I wouldn't say this is a copy cat recipe. I would say it is BETTER! Fluffy. Moist. Flavorful. And natural.
I didn't search the web for a copycat recipe because I knew a couple of things. One, there would be way too many to choose from. The original most likely relies on something other than real lemon for its flavor. I don't know that; I'm just guessing.
So I relied on a few prior recipes and the recent success I had with making flavored sugar from zest {in my most recent success it was with orange zest}. I am quite amazed at how incredible the flavor of the zest permeates the sugar crystals. The smell of the citrus oils is beautiful. And it adds so much natural flavor to a recipe.
So here is the results of testing and tweaking. If you are looking for a copy cat recipe for lemon loaf, this isn't it. If you are looking for a tart but sweet, almost divine lemon cake/bread/whathaveyou, this is it.
All Natural Lemon Loaf
2 cups white sugar
zest from 2 lemons
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder {double acting}
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 c sour cream, room temperature
1/2 c pure lemon juice*
Lemon Glaze {recipe follows}
*I juiced the two lemons and got 1/2 cup of lemon juice. The remainder of the juice needed for the glaze was from a bottle of organic, 100% lemon juice.
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two standard loaf pans. Combine sugar and lemon zest in jar; shake and seal for at least 10 minutes. Recommend doing this the day before for a stronger lemon flavor.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk and set aside. Cream butter and lemon sugar together for 5 minutes, til fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon extract. Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula to incorporate all ingredients.
Add 1/3 of flour mixture to butter; blend just to combine. Add lemon juice; blend. Add another third flour mix to batter; blend just to combine. Add half of the sour cream; blend. Add remaining flour and sour cream. Blend just to combine.
Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 50~60 minutes, til golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks completely before removing.
To make lemon glaze, combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with 1/3 cup pure lemon juice. Whisk to combine. Pour over tops of cooled loaves. Keeps for 2-3 days on counter if covered with cloth or parchment.
I used a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Why baking powder? Baking soda often causes cakes and baked goods to brown, especially when cooked a long time. Baking powder doesn't so much and it's rising affect works with the heat, so more time cooking works with the baking powder. Here's a great explanation and visual demonstration of the browning effect at Serious Eats. One more thing. Most baking soda sold now is double acting so that is what I used. If you don't have double acting, just make certain you bake your lemon loaf as soon as you have the batter mixed and in the pan.
I set out to make a lemon loaf like the one my boys {who are endless lemon lovers} drool over at the coffee shop. I wouldn't say this is a copy cat recipe. I would say it is BETTER! Fluffy. Moist. Flavorful. And natural.
I didn't search the web for a copycat recipe because I knew a couple of things. One, there would be way too many to choose from. The original most likely relies on something other than real lemon for its flavor. I don't know that; I'm just guessing.
So I relied on a few prior recipes and the recent success I had with making flavored sugar from zest {in my most recent success it was with orange zest}. I am quite amazed at how incredible the flavor of the zest permeates the sugar crystals. The smell of the citrus oils is beautiful. And it adds so much natural flavor to a recipe.
So here is the results of testing and tweaking. If you are looking for a copy cat recipe for lemon loaf, this isn't it. If you are looking for a tart but sweet, almost divine lemon cake/bread/whathaveyou, this is it.
All Natural Lemon Loaf
2 cups white sugar
zest from 2 lemons
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder {double acting}
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 c sour cream, room temperature
1/2 c pure lemon juice*
Lemon Glaze {recipe follows}
*I juiced the two lemons and got 1/2 cup of lemon juice. The remainder of the juice needed for the glaze was from a bottle of organic, 100% lemon juice.
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two standard loaf pans. Combine sugar and lemon zest in jar; shake and seal for at least 10 minutes. Recommend doing this the day before for a stronger lemon flavor.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk and set aside. Cream butter and lemon sugar together for 5 minutes, til fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon extract. Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula to incorporate all ingredients.
Add 1/3 of flour mixture to butter; blend just to combine. Add lemon juice; blend. Add another third flour mix to batter; blend just to combine. Add half of the sour cream; blend. Add remaining flour and sour cream. Blend just to combine.
Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 50~60 minutes, til golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks completely before removing.
To make lemon glaze, combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with 1/3 cup pure lemon juice. Whisk to combine. Pour over tops of cooled loaves. Keeps for 2-3 days on counter if covered with cloth or parchment.
I used a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Why baking powder? Baking soda often causes cakes and baked goods to brown, especially when cooked a long time. Baking powder doesn't so much and it's rising affect works with the heat, so more time cooking works with the baking powder. Here's a great explanation and visual demonstration of the browning effect at Serious Eats. One more thing. Most baking soda sold now is double acting so that is what I used. If you don't have double acting, just make certain you bake your lemon loaf as soon as you have the batter mixed and in the pan.
Yum!!
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