Sunshine Tea Loaf

Ingredients:
Cake
1 c fine raw (unprocessed) sugar
1/2 c Splenda
zest of one lemon
1 stick (1/2 c) softened unsalted butter
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 c lowfat milk
2 c all purpose flour
1 c fine cornmeal
1 Tbs. powdered fiber supplement
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sweetened flaked coconut

Glaze
3/4 c lemon juice
3/4 c sugar
zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp lemon extract



Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour (or use a cooking spray with flour already added – like Baker’s Joy).

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and zest until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, lemon extract, juice & milk. Add the flour, cornmeal, fiber, baking powder, baking soda & salt and stir slowly to mix. Stir in coconut.

Pour batter into prepped pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden on top and springs back when touched.

While the cake bakes, make the glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon zest & extract. Let cool.

When the cake is done, leave in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool an additional 15 minutes. On the dish you are serving it on, poke lots of small holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick or skewer. Pour half the syrup over the top and brush until it’s all soaked in, then repeat with the other half.

Serve on it’s own (for breakfast), or with fresh berries or a scoop of sorbet for dessert.




My two cents:
I love the color and texture that cornmeal lends to this beautiful yellow cake. This is a loaf cake recipe, but I prefer to make it in a springform pan for a larger surface area. The cake is moist inside, with a crunchy, sweet shell. It has an extreme lemon flavor, and I like the addition of coconut for a slightly tropical twist. I also think it makes the cake a little more moist. Since this recipe is a guilty pleasure, I make myself feel better about it by cutting the sugar with splenda and adding additional fiber.