Lemon Loaf Cake

This evening, I was looking for something to bake. The urge to make something had hit me again and it had to be satisfied. I came across a recipe for a Lemon Loaf Cake and thought 'Hey, now THAT sounds interesting!' Better still, I had everything I needed except the Lemons. A quick trip to the grocery store got me the Lemons and at 10:45pm, I started mixing the ingredients.

I have to admit, using my electric hand held mixer made this so much easier, I'm terrible at using a spoon to cream sugar and butter together, and the mixer has saved me on many occasions, but in reality, this cake is so simple to put together. It's simply mix, whisk, mix some more, add ingredients, mix again and pour into the cake tin.

There is a glaze that is to be brushed onto the cake when its done baking, after it's cooled down a little bit. Its just a mix of sugar and Lemon Juice, and the sugar doesn't even have to be dissolved. One warning though, its sticky! Oh boy it's sticky!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. butter, softened 
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. nuts, coarsely chopped, optional
• Lemon sugar syrup

Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto waxed paper

Combine butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until fluffy and light.

Stir flour mixture into batter, alternating with milk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth.

Stir in lemon rind and juice. Add nuts. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until center springs back when lightly pressed with fingertip. Do not overbake!

Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cake around edges with knife. Turn onto wire rack placed over waxed paper.

Brush with Lemon Sugar Syrup on top and sides of cake slowly, allowing time for cake to absorb sauce.

Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 24 hours before cutting. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Lemon Sugar Syrup: combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl. Sugar does not have to be dissolved.

It really is as simple as that. This cake turns out to be wonderfully moist, and refreshing with the lemon zing to it! This is going to be taken on our picnic tomorrow, and I'm already itching to tuck in to the cake!

Till next time, keep cookin'!