Lemon Raspberry Loaf
I don’t know about you, but I love a “Snack Cake.” I’m not talking Little Debbie here (though the nostalgia for Zebra Cakes, Star Crunch, and Swiss Rolls runs deep). I’m talking about a cake that’s juuuuuust on the side of a could-be-breakfast item. Listen, we’re all adults here, so if you want to have a three-layer chocolate cake with frosting for breakfast, live your life hun! But I think we can all agree that some foods tend to toe the line between dessert and breakfast. And to me, that’s called VERSATILITY.
I mean, aren’t muffins just cupcakes without icing??? Prove me wrong. Age old debate aside, I love to have a not-too-sweet cake or quickbread on the kitchen counter, especially when people are visiting. It’s nice to have something homemade that can act as a lovely accompaniment to morning tea/coffee, but can also be dressed up to serve for dessert. Something you can cut a little sliver of when you’re feeling peckish…
My Lemon Raspberry Loaf is just that kind of gal… She’s sweet, she’s tart, she can be a cool, casual, classic chick OR a showy, fancy lady.
I love this recipe for many reasons besides the fantastic lemon-raspberry taste. First of all, it’s SO EASY, and the reward is a delicious loaf that stays moist (sorry y’all) for days. Secondly, it’s not a super-fussy recipe. If you don’t have raspberries, use blackberries, blueberries or strawberries. Don’t have lemons? Try it with zingy lime or fragrant orange! The only requirement I ask of you is to use a full-fat sour cream or greek yogurt. You don’t have to wait for a stick of butter to come to room temp (because you’re just gonna melt that sucker in the microwave!). Your eggs, should probably be closer to room temp before mixing them in, but I just take mine out of the fridge first, then measure all my ingredients. When it’s time to add the eggs to the recipe, the chill from the fridge has sufficiently worn off.
I love this loaf with a simple topping of crunchy demerara or granulated sugar, but if you’re feeling extra…
Top with a citrus glaze: 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar + 1 tablespoon of citrus juice + 1 teaspoon citrus zest. Mix ingredients in a bowl, then top loaf once it’s cooled (or as Elizabeth suggests in her book Steak & Cake, pour the glaze on while it’s still warm and let some of it sink into the crumb!)
Serve with Tangy Whipped Cream: If you buy an 8oz. tub of sour cream for this recipe, you will have 1/4 cup of it leftover from making the batter. Combine 1 cup heavy cream + 1/4 cup sour cream + 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl. Mix on low speed for about a minute, until bubbles begin to form, then crank it up to medium until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes longer). Top each slice with a mound of tangy whipped cream, and some more raspberries.
Add spices: to the dry ingredients, stir in 1 - 2 teaspoons (to taste) of your favorite dried spices to compliment the fruit. Cardamom, Ginger, Turmeric, or Poppy Seeds would be great additions!
Aww nuts!: This loaf would be absolutely dreamy with the addition of toasted chopped pistachios, almonds, or even almond flour.
Lemon Raspberry Loaf
The perfect snacking cake doesn’t exi... This easy quickbread is sweet enough to be dressed up for dessert with some tangy whipped cream (spiked with sour cream), or enjoyed as is with tea or coffee. It’s a very forgiving recipe, just make sure to use full-fat sour cream or yogurt, as they contribute necessary richness to offset the tart/sweet lemon and raspberries. Sprinkle sugar on top before baking for a crispy crunchy top crust.
Makes one 9-inch loaf
Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray or butter, for greasing loaf pan
1 ½ cups (215 grams) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon to toss raspberries
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large lemon or 2 small ones, zested & juiced
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
¾ cup full-fat sour cream or greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 stick (½ cup/115 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (130g) fresh raspberries, gently rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons demerara sugar (like Sugar in the Raw), or granulated sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 4-by-9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter. If desired, you can line it with parchment, leaving some overhang, for easy removal after baking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, so they’re evenly incorporated: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add 1 cup sugar (200g). Zest the lemon directly over sugar, and using your fingertips, work the zest into the sugar until it’s fragrant and tinted yellow. Whisk in sour cream (or yogurt), eggs, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice from the zested lemon (If your lemon is super juicy, you can add more, but I wouldn’t use more than ¼ cup).
Using a rubber spatula, stir the wet mixture into the dry (flour) mixture, until just combined. When a few flour streaks remain, fold in the melted butter.
Toss raspberries with a tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. This will help suspend them in the batter while the loaf bakes. Gently fold the raspberries into the batter. Scrape the raspberry-studded mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with your spatula.
Sprinkle the top of the loaf with extra sugar, if using (I like to hold the loaf pan in one hand suspended over my kitchen sink, while sprinkling with the other hand, so I can get full coverage).
Bake at 350ºF for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top of the loaf is golden brown, the edges become slightly crispy, and begin to pull away from the pan. A tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean (unless you hit a raspberry, of course). Let cool completely in the loaf pan.
*Notes
To serve as dessert, make a tangy whipped cream: Combine 1 cup chilled heavy cream, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Garnish with additional raspberries. Loaf can be baked up to 5 days ahead, if wrapped tightly and stored at room temp.
