Aunty Ruby’s Country Inn Lemon Loaf

It has been nearly 30 years since my late Aunty Ruby shared this recipe with me.  She was such an excellent cook and baker. Ever so thoughtful, she sent me 2 loaf pans with liners along with the recipe. This is one of those recipes that has family heirloom status.  There are no fancy ingredients, just flour, eggs, sugar, milk, lemons.  The essence of simplicity.

This cake is reminiscent of a dessert you might find at a quaint bed and breakfast or country inn. Or, for that matter, even a 5-star restaurant. It is that good!  I serve it without any accompaniments, however you might choose to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh fruit.

The glaze is a simple mixture of fresh lemon juice and sugar. It may seem that there is too much glaze, but make sure to use all of it.  The tangy-sweet lemon glaze moistens the cake with a wonderful flavor. I use a toothpick and poke holes all over the top of the cake so that the glaze seeps into each bite you take.

Aunty Ruby's Country Inn Lemon Loaf

 

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Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 of a cube) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks at room temperature (or regular butter)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• ½ cup 2% lactose free milk at room temperature (or regular milk)
• Glaze:
• Juice of 1 lemon and 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan (or use a loaf liner).
3. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
4. Cream together Buttery Sticks and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Do not overbeat. Mix in grated lemon rind. Add alternatively, flour mixture and milk.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Check for doneness at 50 minutes.
6. While cake is baking, make the glaze. Combine the lemon juice and sugar, stirring occasionally.
7. Let cake rest in pan for about 5 minutes. Remove cake gently from pan and place on a small cooling rack with foil under the rack. Spoon glaze over the cake allowing it to soak in. You may use a toothpick to make small indentations in the cake so that the glaze will moisten the entire cake. Slice and serve lemon loaf at room temperature.
8. Recipe may be doubled to make two loaves.

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