Tuesday, April 17, 2012

TWD:BWJ Lemon Loaf Cake

I am a sucker for lemon desserts. I love a puckery, assertive lemon flavor offset by a bit of sugar. I was pretty excited for this one. It'sa one bowl/one loaf pan dish. That's my kind of baking!

This recipe had a minor fuss factor. The flour needed to be sifted and stirred in in shifts. But the butter was melted (yay time saver!) The eggs were cracked directly over the sugar. Everything else was added to the one bowl and then poured into the loaf pan. I'm not sure that I beat the batter enough. My cake was pretty squat.


Where I did worry about this recipe, however, was the lemon factor. It only called for the zest from three large lemons. While zest is wonderful and full of flavor, I was skeptical that is was going to be enough. I gilded the lily a bit. I added the juice of one lemon to the batter. (Again, could be part of the reason there wasn't much rise) I also made a glaze with the juice of the remaining two lemons and some powdered sugar. They were naked and sad and begging to be put out of their misery.

I glazed the still-warm cake a number of times. First I took a skewer and poked a bunch of holes in the cake. Each time I glazed, I gathered the run-off and poured it on again.


This was a winner. The glaze made it very moist and the lemon flavor was out of this world.


Having said that, I'm not sure that I'd rush to make it again. I have another recipe that I really enjoy and comes out slightly less dense. Go check out the recipe and lovely photos at the host blogs this week. Truc has the recipe at Treats and Michelle has it at The Beauty of Life.

17 comments:

Amanda said...

I was seriously wishing I would have poked holes in mine and poured stuff over it! Brilliant!

baker in disguise said...

By itself it had a mild lemon flavour!! Even i put in the juice of one lemon and then a lemon sugar drizzle!!

Im At Home Baking said...

I think it tasted great as it was!

jane said...

I did the same thing by adding the juice of a lemon and mine was squat as well. It still tasted good and was moist.

Teresa said...

We really enjoyed this toasted and topped with lemon curd. I think this cake is more for showing off toppings and for incorporating into other desserts (someone suggested trifle). We loved how easy it was, too.

Anonymous said...

I wish I would have gone with my gut like you did and added some lemon juice and a glaze. I think it was an excellent notion!

Cher Rockwell said...

This cake definitely benefited from being "glammed up" with a glaze.
Very nice :-)

Anonymous said...

LOL... Yes, sad, naked lemons definitely need to be put out of their misery :-)

Anonymous said...

Your additions sound great! Your loaf does look really really tasty.

Anonymous said...

Good ideas to up the lemon!

Sweet and That's it said...

I'm so glad you loved it... it does look delicious (the little boy happy face is the proof!)

Julia said...

I felt the same way. I liked this cake, but there are other recipes I'd rather make.

Kayte said...

Wow, that glaze looks wonderful...and so does the cake...who cares what it looks like, it's the taste that counts! Can't believe The Boy is looking so mature these days...where does the time go? Can we do lemon again the month after May's picks? Like just have it be Lemon Month. lol

mike509 said...

Looks like the cake was a hit Jules! :) I agree - it was in need of more lemon (which I added of course)! Your loaf looks wonderful - especially with the lemony glaze!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

bet that was good, soaked with glaze!

Unknown said...

Glad you put the naked lemons out of their misery! I haven't made this yet but will follow in your footsteps and see what I get!

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