The best spring, Easter cake (bread) to have!  It’s become a tradition. It maybe a little time consuming but oh so worth it!  Nothing beats a great lemon cake from scratch!

Lemon cake/bread

Lemon cake/bread

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 C. sugar, divided
  • 4 extra large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 C. grated lemon zest (6-8 lemons)
  • 3 C. flour
  • 1/2 t. baking powder
  • 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. salt
  • 3/4 C. squeezed lemon juice, divided
  • 3/4 C. buttermilk, room temp
  • 1 t. vanilla

Glaze:

  • 2 C. sifted powder sugar
  • 3 1/2 T. lemon juice

Directions:

  • Preheat oven 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Line bottom with parchment paper
  • Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in bowl till light and fluffy (5 min)
  • Add eggs one at a time and lemon zest
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl
  • In another bowl combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla
  • Add the flour and buttermilk alternately to the batter
  • Begin and end with the flour
  • Divide evenly to loaf pans
  • Smooth tops and bake 45 minutes
  • Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in small pan
  • Cook over low heat till sugar dissolves.
  • When cake is done, allow to cool for 10 minutes
  • Remove cakes and set them on a rack
  • Poke holes in bread so syrup will go through the bread
  • Spoon syrup over the bread
  • Allow to cool completely
  • Mix glaze with a whisk and drizzle over the cake (loaf) and down the sides