While we are creeping up on fall, the weather has still been pretty warm in New York and I’ve continued to crave bright flavors. This lemon lavender loaf doesn’t require any seasonal ingredients so can be made any time of year when you’re looking for a little bit of brightness with very little effort. I also am particularly fond of any baking recipe that has some alliteration going on so this recipe is already starting out strong!
The loaf cake is very light and fluffy, faintly sweet, and lusciously lemony. The lavender is barely detectable and just adds more complexity and depth to the lemon flavor. The lemon sugar-dusted top adds a subtle crunch. The base of the lemon loaf recipe was adapted from Alison Roman’s lemony turmeric tea cake. I swapped in a couple of ingredients and techniques that I like to use for banana bread and added in the lavender component to make the loaf feel a bit more special.
This lemon lavender cake is lovely with a cup of tea in the afternoon but also excellent for breakfast, dessert, and everything in between!
Lemon Lavender Loaf
Course: BreadDifficulty: Quick bake1
8.5-inch loaf20
minutes50
minutesThis lavender lemon loaf is light, wonderfully moist, and full of bright lemon flavor. It’s the ideal accompaniment to a cup of tea any time of year. The loaf cake can be made without the lavender, but the lavender adds more depth to the flavor and makes this loaf cake feel just a bit more special.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (192g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp diamond crystal kosher salt (1/4 tsp morton kosher salt)
3/4 cup (175g) granulated sugar
2 tsp lavender, finely chopped
2 Tbsp lemon zest (+ 1 tsp for the topping)
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt or greek yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper overhanging on the longer sides.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, chopped lavender, and 2 tbsp of lemon zest and massage together with your fingers until the oils from the lemon zest have turned the sugar into a sandy texture.
- Add the butter and beat with an electric mixer for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beating for this long helps ensure a nice rise on the loaf.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the yogurt and lemon juice until fully combined. Add in the flour and beat until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar and 1 tsp of lemon zest, using your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar. Sprinkle over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Let cool completely before enjoying.
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