Lemon Loaf. Enjoy a little Starbucks at home

I love lemon. Lemon anything. It is almost always my top choice of flavours when left an option. I am also making my own lemon extract and have a bottle of Limoncello steeping away in my pantry. Which has left me with an excess of lemon juice.

I also love Starbucks. Merge the two together and I’m one happy girl. What I don’t love is spending a ton of money there. I’ve recently stopped the auto-reload option on my Starbucks card so it doesn’t feel like I’m getting my drinks for free, and make it a once in a while thing instead of a daily stop.

True story, my order used to be a grande, non-fat, extra hot, 2 sweetener, vanilla latte. It was a mouthful to say, and was glad I didn’t have to order it half asleep, and always had to write it down for anyone who made the mistake of asking me what I wanted from Starbucks. Anyone else have a really long coffee order? Anyone? My mom has her coffee “code” written on the back of her Starbucks card, so I’m going to say it’s genetic. I’m not that bad anymore, I keep it much more simple.

This lemon loaf is good. Like, really good. Like Starbucks. I found it tastes better when eaten the next day. My banana bread is the same way. Gives the flavours a day to percolate. Not too sweet, the perfect sidekick to a coffee. Because of how long it takes to bake a loaf, I usually double the recipe and make two. I’ve yet to have any extras leftover for the garbage.

I have a few other of Starbucks recipes I want to try and make at home. Especially their frappuccinos now that it’s almost summer. My favourite is the coconut frap when they have it. I’m not really an off-the-menu frappuccino orderer, even though I’ve seen a ton of secret recipes online that you can order and look amazing. I don’t need another reason to go there.

Lemon Loaf

Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp lemon extract
• 2/3 c lemon juice
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• zest of 2 lemons

GLAZE

• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, and either grease/flour loaf pans or line with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together.
3. In mixer, cream butter and sugar together, add eggs, vanilla & lemon extracts and lemon juice until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Add the oil and lemon zest and combine again.
6. Divide among two loaf pans and bake for 45 min to an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. When the loaves are almost done, whisk together your glaze ingredients
8. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the glaze evenly over both cakes. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack.