Lemon Loaf

 This lemon loaf cake from Love & Olive Oil is delicious. Although I used regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons, it was still delicious. My husband is begging me to make a version with poppyseeds as well. It's a bit of effort, yet it's worth the effort.

I also learned that baking a glaze sets it, which is a fun fact.

Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake
1 cup sugar (200 grams)
1 Tbsp. Meyer lemon zest
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice
Syrup
1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt
Glaze
7/8 cup powdered sugar
4-5 tsp. Meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, and line with a strip of parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and zest, using your fingers to release the oils. Add baking powder and salt, and mix to combine.

Add the eggs, and beat for 3 to 5 minutes or until batter is light in color. When the mixer is running on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil until fully emulsified. Then mix in half the flour, followed by half of cream. Add in the remaining flour, and then the rest of the cream and lemon juice and mix until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan. To help define the crack in the middle of the cake, dip a bench scraper in olive oil and press it in the very center of the batter, about 1/4-inch deep. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

About 10 minutes before the cake is done, prepare the syrup by combining all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until dissolved together.

Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, and then lift out the cake using the parchment paper overhang. Poke the cake using a thin skewer to create a bunch of holes to absorb the syrup. Pour the warm syrup over the cake, or use a pastry brush to coat the loaf. The goal is to maximize the syrup absorption.

Once cake is completely cool, mix the glaze. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the glaze over the entire surface of the cake. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes to set the glaze. Let cool for 30 minutes until glaze is cooled and set, and then slice and serve at room temperature. Makes 1 loaf.