Lemon Bread

It's raining, it's pouring! It has not stopped raining since yesterday- the storm went through the night and doesnt look like it's letting up any time soon. This is good news because we need as much as we can get, but bad because I need to get someplace for Shabbat. Oh well, out come the rainboots. Anyway, Purim is coming up this week. The girls are getting excited and creative, diligently preparing their costumes for our upcoming party. Before the actual holiday begins there is a fast observed, the Fast of Esther. Since it was meant to fall out on Shabbat and we dont observe the minor fasts on Shabbat, we observed it yesterday. To me, there's no better way to spend the fast than by baking. Now, normally I bake bread, but I didnt really think the girls would appreciate a loaf of bread. So I did what any normal madricha would do- I made cake. I made this Lemon Bread, which I do think is more of a cake, and an apple coffee cake, which I'll post later. This lemon bread was inspired by the fresh lemons I bought for another use and the buttermilk sitting in my fridge. Add that to the fact that this is pretty simple to put together and you have a winner. The recipe comes from King Arthur Flour and recommends an optional lemon glaze, but I chose to leave it off. What I'm noticing again and again about the combination of lemon and dairy is that the dairy always mellows out the assertiveness of the citrus so that you have all the lemony goodness without the typical bite. The dairy flavor is on the prominent side- this bread tasted to me like lemon cheesecake! The texture was soft and moist but sturdy enough to slice. You can choose to add poppy seeds which would add a nice visual pop, if you like.

Lemon Bread

from the King Arthur Baker's Companion

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

3 tbsp lemon zest

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the sugar, oil, lemon zest and juice in a bowl.
Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a measuring cup, place the buttermilk and eggs.
Whisk until blended and set aside.
Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly.
Add the lemon mixture alternately
with the buttermilk mixture, stirring after each addition.
Here is the completed batter.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.