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Summer Lemon Treats

SUMMER AND LEMONS JUST GO TOGETHER

Article by Jessica Fitch

Photography by Jessica Fitch

Is there anything more summery than lemonade? Lemonade conjures images of summer: relaxing by the pool, refreshing after gardening or making a whole batch for your family to cool off with. That same lemon refreshment is still just as delicious in pastries! While baked goods and warm desserts are often amazing in the fall and winter, lemon brings us right back to summer, no matter whether your lemon bars have cooled off yet or not. Spring gives us lemons, and we definitely know what to do with them: bake!

Lemon offers lots of health benefits due to its high vitamin C content, and that sour taste just tastes so good with some sweetness! Some recipes call for the juice or the zest, but the recipe highlighted below uses both for the best flavor combination.

RELATED: Learn About All Things Meyer Lemons

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

We got this recipe from Del's Cooking Twist, where her lemon poppy seed loaf is not only easy to make, but moist and a great mix of both sweet and sour. Her hottest tip is that poppy seeds can tend to dry out the loaf, so she recommends only two tablespoons of poppy seeds, where most recipes ask for three.

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup softened butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 3/4 cup milk

LEMON GLAZE:

  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 teaspoons milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease the bottom and the sides of a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with melted butter or vegetable oil. Set aside.
  2. Sift flour in a medium size bowl. Add baking powder, salt, and mix well. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a whisk or using hand mixer on low-speed setting, cream softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  4. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the mixer, one at a time. Add the lemon juice, zest and poppy seeds. Keep the mixer running on low speed and pour in half the milk with half of the flour mixture. Once combined, add the remaining milk and gently fold in the remaining flour until combined.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (remember that every oven is different and baking times may vary a little). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
  6. When the cake is cooled, make the icing. Start with adding 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to the powdered sugar then add milk, adjusting quantity if needed. The icing should be thick and not too runny. Spoon icing over he cake and let harden before serving.

Baking for your neighbors, coworkers and family is just one way of giving back and making someone's day. Summer is a great time to do it, when all of our taste-testers are home to try things out. Here are just a few other inspirations to get the (lemon) juices flowing. Get baking!

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