Lemon Pecan Bread

A sweet lemon loaf cake studded with chopped pecans

I'm a big fan of snacking cakes that can be served for dessert one night and then again for breakfast the next day. This lemon pecan bread comes from the Homesick Texan and is a cross between a pound cake and a sweet bread. The cake is special for two reasons: one, the crunch and nuttiness from the pecans, and two, the sweet lemon glaze. If you've glazed a cake before, you may have felt the same frustration I do when half the glaze ends up running off the cake and getting stuck to the plate underneath. This recipe calls for wrapping the cake up in foil with all the glaze so that it can get completely soaked into the cake with no waste. Once the cake sits, you can slice it and serve it plain or with some sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Note: This cake needs to sit for at least 12 hours after baking, so plan ahead.


Related Recipes:
- Lemon Yogurt Cake
- Banana Nut Bread
- Blood Orange Cake


Lemon Pecan Bread:
Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 c.) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 c. all-pupose flour
- 1/2 c. buttermilk
- 1/2 c. pecans, toasted and chopped
- 6 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- a sheet of foil that is large enough to wrap around the whole cake

Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and baking soda and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 c. sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add in the eggs and stir to combine, then add in the buttermilk mixture.
• Stir in the flour, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is incorporated, then stir in the lemon zest and pecans.
• Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice and 3/4 c. sugar.
• Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake and remove it from the pan. Place the cake on the foil and pour the glaze evenly all over the cake.
• Wrap the cake up in the foil, making sure all the glaze is contained, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Unwrap the cake, slice, and serve.

Serves six - eight