Bready or Not: Lemon Loaf Cake
Let’s finish up CAKE MONTH with something that’s bright, fresh, and perfect for summer!
I modified this King Arthur Flour lemon cake and made it in two gift-size pans, as one was indeed given as a gift to dear family friends who came for a visit. My husband pretty well inhaled the loaf that we kept.
Like last week’s chocolate cream cheese cake, this is the kind of cake that isn’t heavy duty on sweet. It’s really perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Eat it by itself or pair a slice with fruit, ice cream, or whatever else sounds good.
I made this using sour cream, though the original recipe suggested yogurt or buttermilk. I bet this would be amazing with lemon yogurt. MORE LEMONY GOODNESS!
Modified from King Arthur Flour’s Lemon Bread.
Bready or Not: Lemon Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 lemons zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt or buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup white sugar
Instructions
- For the cake: Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar till thoroughly combined, followed by the eggs.
- In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, yogurt or buttermilk with the lemon juice, lemon extract, and zest, and set aside.
- In a third bowl, prepare the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly add the second and third bowls into the butter mixture until everything is together.
- Prepare your pan(s) by applying nonstick spray. Spoon the batter inside. If using a standard bread pan, bake for about 50 minutes; if using two 7x2 paper pans, bake for 30-35 minutes. If using in smaller bread pans, adjust time accordingly. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness.
- Remove the cake from the oven, and deeply poke it all over with a chop stick or fork.
- For the glaze: Right before the cake is done, whisk together the glaze ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved. While the cake is hot, slowly drizzle the glaze over it, stopping often to let it to soak in.
- If you're using regular bread pan(s), let the cake cool in the pan another 15 minutes and then remove the loaf to let it cool completely.
- Let cake cool completely before slicing. Wrap it with plastic wrap and store in the fridge or at room temperature. Will keep for at least 3 days.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette with Spaghetti Squash
It’s getting hot (ugh) but that also means it’s time for light, fresh salads and pasta dishes. Today that means two recipes: lemon-basil vinaigrette and an easy technique to make spaghetti squash in the microwave.
Last summer I planted some basil. The basil apparently really liked the Arizona heat, and it grew huge and I had to keep making pesto and figure out other recipes to utilize it.
This quick dressing became a favorite because it made a reasonably-sized amount and was great with both spaghetti squash and salads. This would be great tossed with any pasta, too.
The pictures I have here show that I used it to make a modified caprese salad. I heated up my squash, mixed in the vinaigrette, heated it some more, and then topped it with fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. All kinds of mix-ins would be great with this dressing.
If you don’t have fresh basil handy, I bet this would be great with some jarred pesto, too.
Vinaigrette modified from My Recipes.
Bready or Not: Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves firmly packed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse a few seconds, until blended. Store in the fridge and use on pasta, spaghetti squash, sandwiches, or salads.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Easy Microwave Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 lb spaghetti squash
Instructions
- Wash and dry the squash. Very carefully stab with a knife to penetrate the surface every few inches.
- Place the squash on a microwave safe plate and cook in microwave on normal heat for 7-9 minutes, depending on size. Remove from microwave--the plate will be hot--and set on counter to cool at least twenty minutes.
- Use a large knife to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise. Be cautious of escaping steam. Let the opened squash sit out a while more to cool.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then use a fork to shred the squash itself. Store in fridge up to five days. Use in various dishes as a pasta substitute and heat up the squash in the oven or microwave.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Lemon Bars
I present to you one of my favorite stand-by recipes, one of the first that I mastered as a newlywed.
I originally featured this recipe on Bready or Not back in 2012. I didn’t have as many blog readers then, and my pictures sucked, so I decided it was time to share the recipe again. It’s worthy of the repeat.
There’s a lot to love about the recipe. It’s quick and easy to make. Lemon or yellow cake mix forms the base; there’s no major taste difference between the two. You get to smash up crackers, which is fun.
Cake mix and cracker crumble.
The resulting taste is a mix of lemon, a touch of sweetness, and saltiness, and it works so well. I’ve tried other lemon recipes that have a thicker custard layer, and they don’t keep or travel well. These do. They should be chilled, but they remain solid to pack in a lunch or to bring to a potluck.
Smooth mix of condensed milk, lemon juice, and egg yolks.
These are really the perfect summer dessert. Lemony, sweet, salty. Cool to the tongue.
Plus, they are pretty–ah, the pictures turned out so much better this time around! See? These lemon bars are downright photogenic AND delicious.
Originally posted on Bready or Not in 2012; based on recipe from a Real Lemon juice advertisement.
Bready or Not: Lemon Bars
Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix or yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers whole sleeve of crackers
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, and one egg until mixture is crumbly. Stir in saltine crumbs. Reserving two cups of the crumb mixture, press remaining crumbs on bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Use your fingers to mush it as evenly as possible.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
- With wire whisk, beat 2 egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Spread over prepared crust using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Evenly top with reserved crumb mixture.
- Bake 25 minutes longer or until set and top is golden. Let cool. Refrigerate within 2 hours. Cut into bars. Store covered in fridge.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Lemon Cake Batter Fudge
No foolin’. Back in December, I shared my Cake Batter Fudge to rave reviews. Soon after that, I noted a box of lemon cake mix in my pantry that I needed to use.
I got to thinking, “What if…?” I searched on Pinterest and couldn’t find any recipes that used cake mix for lemon fudge.
Therefore, I resolved to make my own.
I figured the amount of lemon extract used for a cookie recipe should also work for a fudge recipe. Bingo!
The crazy thing about this fudge is that it tastes just like lemon cake and icing all in one. It’s weird in a way, because your brain realizes that the texture isn’t right for either, but the taste nails it.
No joke!
Based on my recipe for Cake Batter White Chocolate Fudge.
Bready or Not: Lemon Cake Batter Fudge
Ingredients
A Bready or Not Original
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp lemon cake mix any brand, sifted
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick) cut into chunks (or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt)
- 1/4 cup milk almond milk works
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles/non pareils/jimmies
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside. Measure the white chocolate chips and the sprinkles in separate dishes so they are ready to add quickly.
- Mix sifted cake mix and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add milk and butter, without stirring, and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Promptly mix ingredients until the butter is fully melted and incorporated. The batter will be very thick. Fold in white chocolate and lemon extract. Add the sprinkles last and stir gently so they don't leak too much color.
- Scoop into prepared baking pan. Level it across the top. Chill the fudge in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting into small blocks.
- Fudge will keep upwards of a week in the fridge, if it lasts that long.
OM NOM NOM
Bready or Not: Triple-Layer Lemon Pie
Two of my husband’s favorite things: lemon and pie.
Another, more recent favorite thing: ease of eating. See, my husband decided to get braces last fall. I didn’t endure that particular hell as a teenager (I had other hells instead), so it’s been rather educational to see everything he has to endure–sore teeth, broken wires, and just overall trickiness with choosing food to eat. He needs things that won’t get stuck between his teeth and that he can easily eat with a fork or spoon.
He had to go get his monthly dental tweaking done, so I decided to surprise him.
He was absolutely delighted with this pie. It’s cold and soothing, lemony and sweet, and very easy to eat. It’s really an awesome summer pie because it is cold and it’s totally no-bake. It comes together in a matter of minutes and just has to set. It also keeps well–my husband ate it slowly over five days.
The perfect summer pie!
From Kraft Recipes.
Bready or Not: Triple-Layer Lemon Pie
Ingredients
- 2 3.4 oz boxes Jell-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 graham cracker crust homemade or bought
- 8 oz Cool Whip thawed; reduced fat is fine
Instructions
- Whisk together pudding mixes, milk and lemon juice. It will be thick. Spread 1 1/2 cups onto bottom of crust.
- Mix half of the Cool Whip into the remaining pudding.
- Spread the Cool Whip/pudding mixture over the pure pudding layer in crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip--the third layer. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
OM NOM NOM.
