iced lemon loaf cake
Buttery, citrusy, and decadent, a lovely spring or summer brunch or midday coffee treat.
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
lemon glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with butter or oil
- In a bowl, sift together the sugar and lemon zest. Add the butter and whip until creamy and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and lemon juice. The mixture will curdle - this is normal! Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Stream in the buttermilk and mix until incorporated and the batter is thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until the center is set and an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack, flip upright, and cool completely.
- When the loaf is cooled, make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the vanilla. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 tablespoon more of lemon juice. The icing should not be extremely runny, but should drip slowly off the whisk.
- Pour the icing over the loaf. Let set at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve!