Liz Lemon Loaf

Props to you if you get the reference in the title... this loaf has nothing to do with Liz Lemon, we've just watched a lot of episodes of 30 Rock the last few weeks and Shawn thought it'd be funny.

So without further ado, here's the recipe for the lemon loaf I've grown so fond of the past few weeks. It's really just a scaled down extra-lemon version of Deb from Smitten Kitchen's lemon cake, with a few little tricks to add even more lemon flavor. Enjoy!

Lemon Loaf

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar, separated
2 large eggs
1/6 cup grated lemon zest (approximately 4 large lemons)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup lemon juice, separated
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons lemon juice

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour one 8x4 inch loaf pan.
- Cream butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, and then the lemon zest.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, combine 1/8 cup lemon juice with the buttermilk and vanilla.
- Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves into a syrup.
- Let the loaf cool 10 minutes before inverting it onto a rack set over a tray, then prick the loaf all over with a toothpick and pour the lemon syrup over the loaf - it will drip down into the tiny holes and make your loaf nice and moist. Then let the loaf cool down completely before glazing it.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf and let set before enjoying.