Glazed Lemon Loaf Cake

From The Big Book of Breakfast, 2003, by Maryana Vollstedt. This cake freezes well and is similar to a pound cake. Serve it with fresh berries and ice cream.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, divided
• 1⁄2 cup butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces (1 stick)
• 2  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons  fresh grated lemon zest
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt).
2. In a large bowl, beat (with an electric mixer)1 cup of the sugar and the butter until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture alternately with milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Pour batter into a sprayed or buttered 41/2 X 81/2 X 21/2 inch loaf pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Do not remove cake from pan; set it aside while you make glaze.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar with lemon juice and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
5. While cake is still warm and still in the pan, gradually spoon the lemon glaze over it, adding more as glaze is absorbed.Use all of the glaze. Cool cake completely in the pan, then remove it from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with berries and/or ice cream, if desired. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap to store.