Lemon?Almond Loaf

I like to make lemon-flavored foods in the summer…lemons just seem to give everything a light, fresh taste. This Lemon Almond Loaf recipe (adapted from Taste of Home) is like a pound cake…rich and dense, with almonds in the lemony batter, and more sprinkled on top of the lemon glaze. So, if you like lemons and almonds, you’re in for a treat!  You can substitute chopped pecans for the almonds if you prefer. This recipe has both a Lemon-Sugar drizzle that you put on while the loaf is still warm, and then an additional glaze. If you don’t want to do both, you can try doing one or the other. When you do both, it gives the loaf an extra lemony taste!

BATTER INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all?purpose flour (I like to use unbleached flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon extract
1-2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel (the more you use, the more lemony the flavor)
1 cup  sliced almonds

LEMON?SUGAR DRIZZLE:

3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Blend in lemon juice, lemon extract, and lemon peel; then fold in almonds.

Spoon batter into the greased and floured loaf pan; bake at 35o degrees for 50?60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pan. While loaf is cooling, mix the lemon juice and sugar together for the Lemon-Sugar drizzle; mix until sugar is dissolved (you can heat the mixture up in the microwave for about 10 seconds to help dissolve the sugar more quickly). After removing loaf from pan and while still warm, drizzle the lemon?sugar mixture over the top of the loaf and let cool completely.

Now you’re ready to add the finishing touch?the Lemon Glaze…

LEMON GLAZE:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8?1/4 cup sliced almonds

Blend powdered sugar and melted butter together; then add lemon juice and mix until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf; then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Let glaze set, and then reward your baking efforts with a nice thick slice of lemony sweetness!

L

Filed under: Cakes, Food and Recipes, Sweet Breads Tagged: dessert, lemon, pound cake