Ivory | cooking girl

🍋 If your lemon loaf never turns out soft, moist, and full of bright lemon flavor, it might just need a few little tweaks. These are the 4 baking tips that completely changed mine. 💛

1️⃣ **Use the zest, not just the juice.** Lemon juice adds acidity, but a lot of that fresh lemon flavor bakes away in the oven. The zest is where all those beautiful citrus oils are, and that’s what gives your loaf that fresh bakery style lemon flavor.

2️⃣ **Massage the zest into the sugar.** This is my favorite little trick. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips for about a minute. The sugar crystals create tiny cuts in the zest, helping release all of those fragrant oils, while the warmth from your hands helps those oils infuse into the sugar. It smells absolutely amazing, and you’ll taste the difference in every bite.

3️⃣ **Whip the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.** Then gently fold them into the batter. This keeps all of that air in the mixture and gives you the softest, fluffiest crumb.

4️⃣ **Use cake flour.** It has less protein than all purpose flour, which means less gluten develops and your loaf stays light, tender, and beautifully soft.

These are such simple little techniques, but they make the biggest difference. I hope they help you bake a lemon loaf that’s perfectly soft, full of fresh lemon flavor, and one you’ll want to make again and again. 🍋💛 Save this for your next baking day!
#baking