The Gourmet Mama

I’m a huge fan of lemons and limes and what better way to use these delightful citrus fruits than in a sweet and sour loaf? Lemon bread has been a staple for decades and truthfully, I’ve been making my squares version for a while, but the other day I had a request to make lemon loaf. It came from a friend that I hadn’t seen in a few years and she recalled when I brought the loaf to a mother’s group meeting when my son (now 4.5) was a baby.

I decided to ramp things up a bit, since I don’t really like the dullness of the lemon bread that isn’t saturated with the glaze. So, this bread tastes great without the glaze and awesome with it!

Very Lemony Lemon Loaf

Makes 2 loaves

3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
1 Tblsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1 c. margarine, melted
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Glaze
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350º.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and lemon zest.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, vanilla and margarine together. Add the lemon juice and beat.

Mix in the eggs until the mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until mostly mixed. Add the milk and beat.

Spread the batter equally into the two loaf pans and bake for 30-40 min. They should be golden brown on top.

While the loaves are baking, heat the sugar and lemon juice over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Remove the loaves from the oven and use a skewer to poke holes all over the top, about three across each pan and 7-9 lengthwise. Gently spoon the glaze over the two loaves, letting it soak in a bit before applying more. This takes a bit, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Let the loaves sit for ten minutes before removing from the pans and serving.