Well hello there, you über lemony of a gem!
I'm finally over my "A-recipe-failed-and-I-don't-want-to-bake-again" syndrome. Those almond cupcakes were bleh, and I figured I needed a couple days to recover from the shock of a recipe fail. I haven't had one in years. Not exaggerating at all.
Back to this lemon loaf cake.
Er, shall I say, "Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake" minus the drizzle. Long story short, I didn't feel like making a drizzle after it came out of the oven because the cake look and smelled amazing, and I felt like it didn't really need any fancy drizzle to dress it up. Plus, while I hate eating anything dry, I also despise anything that's too moist. Moisture is not a good word in my dictionary. Except for on my skin.
Nobody likes a cake that feels like an old rug on their tongue, but I don't want a piece of cake that feels, texture-wise, like a soggy sandwich either. This cake is nothing like any of the above. This cake is fabulous. As a lemon loaf cake rightfully should be.
I got this recipe from a cookbook I've treasured for a long time, the "Primrose Bakery Cookbook." This cookbook contains many delightful cupcake, breads, cookies, and bars recipes, among many others. My cake isn't exactly identical to the one in the cookbook because mine is sans the drizzle (Or, as I'd say, the drizzle arrived "Fashionably late.") However, it tasted magical, which I'm sure the cookbook one did, too.
Please excuse the bad lighting. Eight PM in Hong Kong makes for some horrific pictures.
The cake itself is so tangy and wonderfully filled with the delightful scent that lemons naturally have. Because of the pound cake-like type of recipe this is, it does taste majestically buttery as well. There are sudden bursts of lemon amongst the constant waves of butter. It is amazing. The edges form a beautiful crust as it bakes, giving you two different types of texture: A tender, not-dry (I'm not using the word moist), buttery, smooth cake, and a somewhat crispy, browned edge. Look forward to both.
There's also minimal sugar for you to fully experience the clashing of the butter and lemon. I added a tad less sugar than the original recipe and found myself with a tangy, slightly sweetened, buttery loaf. If you'd like more sugar, always feel free to stick to the cookbook recipe!
I apologize for the recipe I'm including in advance because it is in grams, not cups, so for those of you who are used to measuring in cups (I do both), sorry!
While I see this as a downside for those of you who rely on cups, I also have been told countless times that measuring by weight is nevertheless always more accurate than measuring by cup. Measuring in grams will ensure your recipes, or this recipe, at least, to turn out the way they should.
I'll also leave you with the drizzle recipe, since I know there are some people out there who enjoy the moister (no thank you) side of cakes!
Recipe below.
Enjoy.
Happy baking!
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake adapted from "The Primrose Bakery Cookbook"
Makes: 1 loaf, 8-10 slices
*See notes below
Ingredients:
Cake--
155g all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
155g sugar (I used 120 for a more tangy cake)
20g cornflour (cornstarch)
155g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a standard loaf pan or grease with butter/cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Put flour, baking powder, sugar, and cornstarch into a food processor and pulse until evenly mixed, about 5 seconds.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and pule just until evenly blended, about 10-15 seconds.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
5. Bake, in the center of the oven, for 35-40 minutes. The top should be golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan.
6. Make the drizzle (see below). Prick the top of the cake with a fork and pour the drizzle all over it, allowing to set before serving.
7. To serve, remove the cake from the pan. Cake keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Drizzle:
Ingredients:
160g granulated sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
Directions:
1. Stir the sugar with the lemon juice and mix well. Use as directed above.
Notes:
-Check on your loaf around 25-28 minutes in. If the loaf is browning too quickly, be sure to make a tent with a foil to cover it for the remaining cook time.
