Lemon Thyme Bread

I finally broke down and bought a loaf pan. There have been many tasty breads we have made in the past that weren't quite right because they couldn't form the correct shape. So when I started to pull the ingredients out for this recipe and saw it required a loaf pan, I decided it was time. I am thrilled with the pan after one recipe! It's always so much fun to get a new kitchen toy and this is the first one in a little while that has truly been just for me. Will helps make the breads, but because they fall more into the "baking" category, they become my responsibility. And it's been wee bit of time since I last purchased/received a shiny new baking toy and here it is-my loaf pan!

This is another recipe from our Simply in Season book that I wanted to try. We've been lacking a good breakfast food for a couple weeks, so when I passed this while looking for dinner recipes, I flipped the page back. We had pretty much everything on hand except the loaf pan, which made it easy to decide to make this. I even managed to forget to add the milk and it still turned out moist, so go figure! Enjoy a sweet/tart breakfast bread a la coffeeshop.

Cooking Notes: Instead of using an actual lemon for the juice and grated peel, I just used lemon juice that we always keep on hand. I know, pooh pooh on me, but whatever-it's easier than squeezing lemons everytime you need a drop of lemon juice. I also chose to use regular old thyme from our herb pots as opposed to the lemon thyme the recipe calls for. And lastly, as I mentioned before, I forgot the milk-whoops!

Lemon Thyme Bread (adapted from Simply in Season; serves 8)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh lemon thyme (or regular thyme), chopped
1 tbsp lemon peel (grated)
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 and grease and flour loaf pan in preparation. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter until  creamy with an electric beater. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in 2 tbsp lemon juice, thyme, and lemon peel.

Add milk to bowl of wet ingredients, alternating with the addition of dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack (or aluminum foil).

To make glaze: mix together 1 tbsp lemon juice and powdered sugar. Slowly pour over warm loaf and set in fridge to harden glaze.