Saturday, May 22, 2010

Helpful hints for Luscious Lemon Loaf


Got Lemons? Many of us in Arizona do in May when the trees are loaded with fruit and they are so-o-o big. But how to still have them in August? Try juicing the lemons, pouring the concentrate into ice cube trays and freezing. Put the ice cubes in zip loc bags for future baking, cooking and sipping.












Luscious Lemon Loaf
pg 198 Tastes & Treasures cookbook
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: Put the loaf back in the cooled baking pan and poke holes in the top with a fork. Drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Then remove to a serving dish. This makes it so-o-o moist and lemony. Makes 1 loaf.