Lemon Drizzle Loaf
Today I have two equally delicious quick bread recipes, perfect for summer afternoon treats. I’ve been playing around recently with coming up with a “standard” gluten-free quick bread base, which I can adjust depending on the flavors and mix-ins, and I think I’ve really got the ratios down. The first bread is actually more like a cake made in a loaf pan, but the principle is the same. It’s a lemon drizzle cake with a lemon glaze, and it’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s super easy to make and ends up being very delicate while still being moist.
Pear Cardamom Bread
The next recipe is for bread made with pears, cardamom, and Earl Grey infused milk, and only slightly more involved than the Lemon Cake. It’s sweet and spicy, and really addicting. Because it includes real fruit, the amount of butter and egg can be reduced, and by coating the pear in flour it ends up “sticking” to the batter, and there’s no unfortunate sinking to the bottom. I highly recommend making both of these easy but delicious loaves!
Easy Lemon Drizzle Loaf
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups gluten free flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour)
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
9 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
zest of 4 lemons, about 1 tbsp.
juice of 4 lemons, about 6 tbsp.
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used oat milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
For the glaze:
Lemon juice
Confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper and non-stick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Using a mixing bowl or handheld electric mixer on high speed, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs and the vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until combined.
Add in the flour mixture and the milk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, completely, mix lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar, a little at a time, until you get your desired amount of glaze. Drizzle on the glaze and serve immediately. The cake is super moist, and can be kept covered for 3-4 days.
Pear and Cardamom Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup milk (I used Lactaid milk but non-dairy milk would work as well)
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1 ripe yellow pear, peeled and chopped into 1/8-1/4 in. cubes
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups gluten free flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour), plus a tablespoon or so to coat pears in
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup granulated sugar (could use coconut sugar)
pinch of salt
6 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper and non-stick cooking spray.
On low power, heat the milk in the microwave until warm, about 110 degrees. Place two earl grey tea bags and let steep until the milk is cool again, about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the pear, brown sugar, half the cardamom, and a tablespoon of flour to coat the pears. Set aside.
In another small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, the rest of the cardamom, nutmeg, and salt together.
Using a mixing bowl or handheld electric mixer on high speed, cream together butter and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and the vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until combined.
Add in the flour mixture and the milk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
