4-Ingredient Lemon Loaf

This is citrus season at the moment and the prices of fresh lemons, oranges, limes, etc. are very reasonable at the shops. I have been really enjoying my fill of all of these things, but especially lemons.
I am using them for salad dressings, cakes, cookies, pies, in main dishes, to flavor my fish, etc. I do want to make a jar of preserved lemons before the season is through.
Lemons have such a sun-shiny vibrant color and flavor, which is something we really need at this time of year when we are in the throes of Winter and Spring is just out of reach!
4-Ingredient Lemon Loaf

I saw a reel for this fabulous Lemon Loaf Recipe on Instagram the other day and immediately bookmarked it! It looked fantastic! Dense and squidgy, moist and delicious!
AND it used only 4 simple ingredients! 4 simple ingredients that I always have in my baking cupboard and refrigerator. Eggs, sweetened condensed milk, self raising flour, and lemons. That's it!
The optional glaze does add to the ingredients list, but you really only need some icing sugar and lemon juice for that. Its also easy peasy!
4-Ingredient Lemon Loaf

I discovered the recipe two days ago and baked it the very next day! I could not wait. That is how much I love lemon cakes and loaves. I was not sorry that I did. It is quite nice. Not perfect, but quite nice. Quick to throw together and the flavors are spot on!
I probably could have made my glaze a bit thicker but it is still fabulous! Do not overbake this cake. I took it out and tested it at the 45 minute mark and it was perfect. Overbaking it, you run the risk of drying it out. You want a nice squidge! Perfect with a hot drink!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE 4-INGREDIENT LEMON LOAF
Aside from the glaze, you seriously only need 4 simple ingredients, exclusive of the glaze. Really. I kid you not.

3 large free-range eggs
1 cup (330g) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 cup (140g) self raising flour (see notes below)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice +2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Optional Glaze:

1 cup (130g) icing sugar
1 - 2 TBS lemon juice (depending on your desired consistency)

I always use free range eggs. I buy them in the refrigerator of the organic section in the local shops off season. In-season I have a lady around the corner who has hens that you can see running around the yard and I get my eggs there. You have to pick your battles and free range eggs is something I won't compromise on.
Sweetened condensed milk is found in the canned milk section of the grocery store. It is NOT evaporated milk, although you will find it next to the evaporated milk. It is a type of evaporated milk that has been condensed even further along with the addition of sugar, which makes it very thick and sticky. It comes in a much smaller can than evaporated milk and is much heavier.
Self rising flour is what gives this cake its lift. You can easily make your own if you can't get it, or in the case of this recipe which uses only 1 cup (140g) you can use plain all purpose flour and add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt.

HOW TO MAKE 4-INGREDIENT LEMON LOAF
Nothing could be easier than this simple loaf. You don't even need to break out an electric mixer for this one. A wire whisk does the trick quite nicely!
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Spray an 8 by 4 inch loaf tin with some low fat cooking spray and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang to lift it out with.
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk to combine fully. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
4-Ingredient Lemon Loaf

Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then lift out to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whisk together the icing sugar and enough lemon juice to give you a thick drizzle glaze and spoon over the cooled cake. Leave to set before cutting into slices to serve.

Notes

You can easily make your own self rising flour for this recipe. Whisk together 1 cup ( 140g) of all purpose plain flour, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to combine well.

This is a dense lemon loaf with a tight texture. It has loads of lemon flavor as well. I loved the ease of preparation! Is it the best lemon loaf one could make? Probably not. I have had better, but it is not the worst either. The fact that it is fat free and so easy to make is a bonus.
Do make the lemon glaze! It sets this lovely loaf off beautifully. This is a loaf meant to be enjoyed with a hot drink. In fact, I believe a hot drink makes it better.

If you enjoy baking and dessert recipes which highlight lemons as much as I do, you might also be interested in the following!

BUTTERMILK LEMON PUDDINGS - One of my favorite lemon desserts has always been Buttermilk Lemon Puddings. These are delicious lemon puddings which upon baking, just like magic, separate into two distinct layers . . . one a lush lemon custard and the other a fabulously tart lemon cake. This is a dessert I used to make fairly often when entertaining at the Manor down south. I think lemon is a common love of ladies. These are very simple to make. The recipe serves two people generously, but can easily be multiplied to serve more.

LUSH LEMON POUND CAKE -This is a fabulously delicious old fashioned lemon pound cake. If you are a fan of lemon and of cake, prepare yourself to fall in love! This easy pound cake recipe uses simple ingredients that most of us always have in our kitchens and packs a triple lemon wallop! With plenty of lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract, it scores a hat-trick of lush lemon flavors every single time you bake it!

Yield: 1 (8 by 4 inch loaf)Author: Marie Rayner