I am always amazed at what a bit of egg and flour can help me accomplish. From pancakes to dumplings to crusty bread and sweet treats, egg and flour are the stars of a well-stocked kitchen. This light lemony tea bread is delicious served with asparagus and brie omelets and grilled sausage links.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup canola oil
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBS milk
½ tsp lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan and dust with powdered sugar.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, blend eggs, sugar, butter, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extracts. Stir in lemon zest.
Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir until blended. Stir in oil.
Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan on rack. After 10 minutes, gently shake bread from pan and cool completely before icing.
Make Icing: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract with a mixer until smooth. Stir in lemon zest. Icing should be thick but pourable. Add more milk if needed. Spread icing with spatula over top of tea bread, allowing some to drizzle down the sides. Makes about 8 slices.
Gary – When the tea bread’s icing helps make it a dessert on its own. Look for the lighter dessert wines from around the world to pair with it. If they have good acidity to handle the lemon overtones, so much the better. Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Moscato, late harvest Riesling and Chenin Blanc and the sweeter value dessert wines of the Bordeaux region (Loupiac, Cadillac, Cerons, St.-Croix-du-Mont) could all be pleasant pairings.
