Sunshine and Meyer lemons.
Two things that make me surprisingly happy.
I’m the type of person whose mood is greatly influenced by the weather. Say I wake up to gloomy grey skies, I’m probably going to remain drowsy and sluggish all day. On the other hand, if it’s clear blue skies and sunshine, I’ll spring out of bed and am bound to be in a positive mood.
Spring has just begun, and it is on everybody’s mind these days. I’m envious of those that have already pulled out their shorts and sandals. While I can’t say we haven’t had any taste of spring yet (as it was a beautiful sunny day when the two of us hit the slopes), spring in Vancouver usually means rain. And lots of it. As an example, it’s pouring outside as I type. “April showers bring May flowers” is more like the type of spring we get around here.
Meyer lemons is one seasonal fruit I look forward to working with every spring; I get overly excited when I see them. A cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, Meyer lemons are my favourite citrus. Their fresh scent and tangy-sweet flavour are unlike any other. Every time I encounter a Meyer lemon, I’ll be sure to stop and take a big whiff. Unfortunately, these culinary treats aren’t available all year round, so be sure to pick some up during the spring season! I recently bought a dozen Meyer lemons, freezing their juice and zest to use throughout the year. That way, I can use them to make this cornmeal loaf whenever I wish!
This is one of the most unique loaves I’ve baked as the cornmeal gives the bread a textural crunch and a crispy shell. It reminds me of the buttermilk cornbread served at Sweet Tomatoes, which is an item both my dad and I adore. The first time I made this loaf, my dad asked for another slice when I got him to be my taste-tester. This loaf is lightly sweet; those that prefer sweeter baked goods may choose to increase the amount of sugar. However, I find the half cup ideal because it doesn’t overpower the delicate lemon flavour. People who aren’t super keen on sugary or chocolate-y baked goods will really enjoy this fresh lemon loaf!
If the warm weather has yet to reach your side of town, create your own sunshine indoors with this Sunny Meyer Lemon Loaf. Both the flavour and the colour of the loaf are sure to brighten up your day.
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- A pinch of pink salt
- ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
- Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature*
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice (from 2 Meyer lemons)
- Preheat oven to 350˚F and line an eight-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add cornmeal and whisk to combine.
- In another small bowl, combine granulated sugar with lemon zest and let sit for a few minutes. This helps the zest release its fragrant oils.
- In a stand mixer, whisk eggs and egg yolk until foamy.
- Gradually add sugar and zest mixture to eggs, whisking until mixture is pale yellow and voluminous, approximately 5 minutes.
- Combine melted coconut oil with lemon juice.
- Add flour mixture and oil mixture alternately to whipped eggs, folding gently to combine and avoid loosing all the air added by the stand mixer.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Broil on high for the last 2 minutes for a perfectly golden top.
Recipe lightly adapted from Scientifically Sweet
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