Lemon Loaf Cake
"Found this in one of my old British cookbooks. I make this whenever I have some unwaxed lemons to use up. It has a very strong tangy lemon flavour due to the glaze.
It keeps well for 2-3 days wrapped in foil. This cake be frozen after being baked and glazed; thaw in wrap at room temperature."
photo by Heather Sullivan
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 7
- Yields:
-
1 loaf cake
ingredients
- 4 ounces softened unsalted butter
- 6 ounces caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 lemon, zest of, grated
- 6 ounces self-raising flour
-
For glaze
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 2 ounces icing sugar, sifted (confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar)
directions
- Butter an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch (top measurements) loaf pan well and line with parchment or siliconised baking paper.
- Preheat oven to 350F, 180C, gas mark 4.
- By hand, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar.
- Beat in eggs one at a time then stir in the grated lemon zest.
- Gently stir in the flour.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and place in centre of oven to bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
- Cover with foil about 20 minutes into baking.
- A slight dip may form in the middle of the loaf but this will not affect texture.
- While loaf bakes, make glaze.
- To make glaze, you need only 2 tablespoons of the fresh lemon juice to mix into the 2oz of icing sugar. Beat the glaze well so no lumps form.
- When fully baked, turn out loaf onto a rack over some waxed paper or pan (to catch glaze drips).
- Poke the cake bottom all over with a wooden or metal skewer and brush the cake evenly with glaze.
- Turn cake over and repeat for the top until all of the glaze is used up and absorbed by the cake.
- Cool on the rack, then serve sliced.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
I have made this cake three times, i couldn't believe how quick it went, I made a couple of changes as well as adding lemon zest I also added 1tsp of lemon flavoring and 2 tbs of milk and it is perfect -
I substituted lemon juice instead of lemon zest, used normal flour and 2 tsp of baking powder and what a lovely light and fluffy loaf it produced! My only issue is that I had to turn the oven down quite a bit for the last 20 or so minutes otherwise the top would have burnt without the middle cooking. The glaze was overpowering lemony and quite thick when made with 4 tsp of lemon juice so I added 2 tablespoons of water to make it right and it was superb and fun to make - one of those every day recipes you can use again and again as it's so simple to make. *update* wow I might have to change this to 5 stars as it's completely idiot proof. I've now made it with self raising flour, I've accidentally put the oven on a very low temperature, once i even accidentally but icing sugar in instead of caster and still every time it came out perfect. -
Delicious, zingy and so easy to make from store cupboard ingredients. Perfect for afternoon/morning tea or packed lunches. Thanks Heather for a great recipe.
Tweaks
-
I substituted lemon juice instead of lemon zest, used normal flour and 2 tsp of baking powder and what a lovely light and fluffy loaf it produced! My only issue is that I had to turn the oven down quite a bit for the last 20 or so minutes otherwise the top would have burnt without the middle cooking. The glaze was overpowering lemony and quite thick when made with 4 tsp of lemon juice so I added 2 tablespoons of water to make it right and it was superb and fun to make - one of those every day recipes you can use again and again as it's so simple to make. *update* wow I might have to change this to 5 stars as it's completely idiot proof. I've now made it with self raising flour, I've accidentally put the oven on a very low temperature, once i even accidentally but icing sugar in instead of caster and still every time it came out perfect.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Heather Sullivan
United Kingdom
