Lemon Strawberry Loaf Cake

Have you ever looked at a recipe and had such a strong visual that your mouth waters?  A recipe where your expectations for a wonderful. flavorful bite are bursting forth so fast that you cannot get the mixer out fast enough?  That is the way it was was with this recipe.  I mean...lemons, strawberries, glaze...sounds delightful...doesn't it?

Pretty, isn't it?  I think so...I could hardly wait to cut into it!  

Very moist...very dense...but.....it was not what I was expecting.  In looking at the recipe, I immediately thought of Ina's Lemon Loaf Cake with the addition of strawberries....but, it wasn't.  I had expected this wonderful marriage of the sweet strawberry and the tangy lemon flavors.....alas...I didn't think that there was a strawberry flavor. Mr. T who has had quite a sweet tooth of late was not impressed.  He had one piece and his comment was, "It's okay."  The cake just kind of sat there on the serving plate until it made it's way to the trash bin. That's sad.

Then my friend texted saying that she saw I was making a Strawberry Lemon Loaf and would I share the recipe...she had made one that didn't impress her family and she wanted to try again. Sadly, it seems we both used the same recipe.

I doubt that either of us will be making this version of the cake again.  If you have better luck, let me know.  I keep looking at the recipe trying to figure out what to adjust.....and maybe I will figure it out.  The idea of this cake is worthy of entertaining....  I am looking for the keeper!!

Lemon Strawberry Loaf

adapted from Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Preheat oven:  350° F.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste.)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups plus additional for dusting the pan and 2 Tbsp for the berries
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup diced strawberries

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add in the vanilla.

Combine the fresh squeezed lemon juice and the buttermilk.  Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Alternately, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the batter, combining after each. Continue until both are combined with the batter.

Shake the diced strawberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour until well coated.  Gently fold the strawberries into the batter.

Spoon the batter into a well greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.  Let the cake rest in the pan for 20 minutes.  Invert on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Prepare your glaze.  Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice to the consistency and flavor that you like.  (This can be over-powering...taste as you add the lemon juice...add additional powdered sugar as desired.)  I added additional powdered sugar as well as 2 Tbsp of milk.

Spread the glaze on top of the cooled cake.  Garnish with additional strawberries.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

I am sharing today at Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage and at Foodie Friday hosted by Michael at Rattlebridge Farm.