Cozy Grandma’s lemon loaf

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Cozy Grandma’s “Double-Soak” Lemon Loaf

This recipe uses sour cream (or Greek yogurt) to ensure the loaf has a “tight” but tender crumb that doesn’t crumble when sliced.

CategoryDetails
Prep Time15 minutes
Bake Time50–55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 mins
Yield1 Loaf (8-10 slices)

🍴 Ingredients

  • The Zesty Batter:
    • 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp Baking powder & ½ tsp Salt
    • 1 cup Granulated sugar
    • ½ cup Sour cream or Plain Greek yogurt
    • ½ cup Vegetable oil (moister than butter for loaves!)
    • 3 Large eggs
    • 2 tbsp Fresh lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)
    • 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • The “Soak” Syrup:
    • ¼ cup Powdered sugar
    • 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • The “Crown” Glaze:
    • 1 cup Powdered sugar
    • 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. The Zest Rub

  • Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
  • The Pro Move: Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and yellow. This releases the oils and makes the flavor 10x stronger.

2. The Emulsion

  • Whisk the sugar/zest with the eggs, sour cream, oil, and 2 tbsp lemon juice until smooth.
  • Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Do not over-mix, or the loaf will be tough.

3. The Long Bake

  • Pour into the pan and bake for 50–55 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent it with foil at the 40-minute mark.
  • It’s done when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

4. The “Hot Soak”

  • While the cake is hot, whisk the Soak Syrup ingredients.
  • Use a skewer or fork to poke about 20 holes in the top of the cake. Pour the syrup slowly over the top. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

5. The Final Polish

  • Once stone-cold, remove from the pan. Whisk the Crown Glaze (it should be thick like Elmer’s glue) and pour it over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

The “Earl Grey” Twist: If you want to lean into the “Cozy Grandma” vibes, steep an Earl Grey tea bag in the 2 tbsp of lemon juice used for the batter. The bergamot notes turn this into a sophisticated floral masterpiece.

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