Side Dish recipe for Feb. 16, 2012
ADVOCATE-TESTED RECIPE
Luscious Lemon Loaf
Makes 1 (9x5-inch) loaf cake; 12 servings. Recipe is reprinted with permission from “Piece of Cake! One-Bowl, No-Fuss, From-Scratch Cakes” by Camilla V. Saulsbury (Robert Rose Inc., 2011).
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsps. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze (see recipe)
Lemon Icing (see recipe)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and coat with flour.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add eggs, sour cream, oil, lemon zest and vanilla to flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a piece of uncooked spaghetti inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
6. Invert cake onto rack, then turn right side up. Poke warm cake all over with a skewer, then pour glaze over top. Let cool completely. Spread icing over top of cooled cake.
Lemon Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar and 1⁄3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Use immediately.
Lemon Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together 21/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly), 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest. Blend until smooth and use immediately.
Note: Store the cooled, glazed but uniced cake at room temperature in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to three days. Alternatively, wrap the cooled, glazed but uniced cake in plastic wrap, then foil, completely enclosing cake, and freeze for up to six months. Let cake thaw at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours before icing and serving.