It’s been ages since I had a slice of lemon bread. I couldn’t really tell you the last time that was, but I know I’ve been on the lookout for a good recipe a million times over. The thing is, I would see a recipe online or in a publication, eagerly go to it, only to discover that most times it started out with a lemon cake mix as the base. Now, I know quick breads can toe the line sometimes between cake and bread, but if a bread recipe starts with a box of cake mix, I think it’s pretty safe to say the end result is NOT a loaf of bread.
Anyway, we’ve been incredibly busy these last weeks, and I only expect to get busier for a while here. We’ve had our competition travels and recital prep for dance and conference preparation for church eating up most weekends between here and June, and on top of that, the kids and I are desperately trying to wrap up the school year by staying focused. That is SO hard this time of year, especially with garden prep under way. But we’re managing, and while I’m trying not to wish away spring much, I will be very happy to reach June first with all my faculties intact.
Which brings me back to this lemon bread. When we have these crazy busy days, meal time is kind of put on the back-burner. We eat what we can find, and being conscious of well-rounded nutrition…well, thankfully come the end of June the garden will actually start producing and we can remedy any deficiencies. Quick breads and muffins are always welcome this time of year, and what I especially loved about this recipe was that it was quick to put together. It does straddle the fence a bit between bread and cake, and I thought it quite similar in texture to a good pound cake, but it is very good and it really made my citrus loving boy happy for a few days. One could maybe reduce the sugar just a touch if you had a mind to, but the quantity didn’t bother me, and it really wasn’t overly sweet.
I baked this up in a 9×5 pan, and produced a shorter loaf of bread. I think an 8×4 pan would have been the better choice, as the bread itself doesn’t rise a whole lot. I used melted expeller pressed coconut oil as my oil, but I really think melted butter would be the best choice.
Lemon Bread
1 cup, plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided 1/2 cup oil or melted shortening/butter zest of two lemons 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt juice of one lemon, or about 1/4 cupDirections:
Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare a loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oil and 1 cup of sugar and mix well. Add the lemon zest and really stir it for a minute or two to allow the sugar to scrub the citrus oils out of the zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this all at once to the wet mixture and stir only until it is all just combined. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 35-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted near the middle comes out clean. It will be closer to 35 minutes for a 9×5 pan, more like 45 for the 8×4 pan.
Ten minutes before the loaf comes out of the oven, combine the 1/4 cup lemon juice with 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. You’ve just made a lemon simple syrup.
When the bread comes out of the oven, take a skewer and poke the top surface of the hot bread all over. Using a pastry brush, brush the lemon syrup all over the loaf until you’ve used all the syrup. Go ahead and let some of it run down the sides of the bread. Leave the loaf in the pan to cool completely. Once cooled, run a knife around the edges and gently turn it out. Slice and enjoy.