Preserved Lemon Loaf Cake

Bright, yellow, and sunshiny! Is this a description of:
A) Your summer so far
B) Preserved Lemon Loaf Cake
C) The T-shirt I’m wearing
D) All of the above

Hint: the answer is D!

When Does Summer Start

Summer is officially here according to the calendar on my phone. But only recently did I learn that there is an astronomical start and a meteorological start to each season.

What’s the difference?

The astronomical start of a season is based on the earth’s position in relation to the sun. The meteorological start is based on the annual temperature cycle and 12-month calendar. So in the Northern Hemisphere the first day of summer, astronomically speaking, was June 21. But the meteorological start was back on June 1.

You very well know when summer has begun if you live in a warm climate as I do. A tell-tale sign: driving the parking lot multiple times while looking for a shady parking spot.

Another sign: lemonade. Fresh lemons are available year-round to squeeze into beverages, salads, and marinades but are especially refreshing in summer. If you are like me, you also have some preserved lemons on hand.

How to Use Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons are lemons that have been cured in their juices with plenty of salt. They provide a bright, tangy, umami hit to meats, veggies, pasta, and anywhere else you would add fresh lemon. Plus, they are so easy to make!

Once they are cured, the preserved lemons can be blended with the juices to make a preserved lemon paste.

An unexpected and out-of-the-ordinary place to use preserved lemons is in baked goods. One of my favorites is this preserved lemon loaf cake. It is lemony, not-too-sweet, and the color of sunshine.

Preserved lemons are pureed and added to the batter of this loaf cake, giving it some major citrusy notes and summer vibes. To amp up the lemony color: ground turmeric.

Lessons Learned

• Be sure to measure the amount of preserved lemon paste correctly. If you are blending your jar of preserved lemons down into a paste, you will only need 2 ounces or about 55 grams. If you are heavy-handed with the paste, you run the risk of your cake being too salty.
• Don't stress if you don't have sour cream. I subbed in plain Greek yogurt and it worked great.
• You can skip the turmeric if you don't have it, but your cake will be barely yellow instead of sunshine bright.

Hat Tips

Thanks go to Zaynab Issa at Bon Appetit for her recipe!

Preserved Lemon Loaf Cake

• Author: Betty
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 10 slices 1x

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon. granulated sugar
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 oz. preserved lemon paste
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. whole milk

 

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/177 C. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving the overhang on the longer sides, and spray with non-stick spray oil.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and turmeric in a bowl. Whisk to mix and set aside. 
3. Add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and oil to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together with the paddle attachment until combined. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and preserved lemon paste to the egg mixture and mix until smooth. 
4. Tip the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed, just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
5. Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes. The top should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Using the parchment overhang, lift the cake out of the pan and place it on the rack. Remove the parchment and let the cake continue to cool.
6. To make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Let the glaze set before slicing. Cake can be stored covered at room temperature for 3 days. 

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