lemon and pecan loaf

Look I'm not going to lie.  You've got to really like lemons to enjoy this loaf.  And you need to use home grown lemons if possible, because they're always sweeter and juicier than the teeny tiny, rock hard poor excuse of a lemon that you'll find at the supermarket.  I'm lucky enough to be kept in good supply of lemons from my best friend, Lis, who has an orchard growing in her backyard.  And a veggie patch.  And a chook pen.  And a horse.  I think it's safe to say, she's far more outdoorsey than me.  But don't worry, she also has plenty of booze in the house and likes to join me at Carindale on a regular basis, so believe it or not, we've actually got plenty in common.  But enough waffle from me.  Let's get onto the recipe shall we....

Ingredients:

125g butter

1 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp grated lemon rind

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Method:

Beat butter, caster sugar & rind until light & creamy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the the sour cream.

Sift together the flour & baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture with the lemon juice and pecans.**

Pour mixture into a greased and lined loaf tin.

Bake at 170 deg C for 1 hour.

Remove from oven when cooked through and mix together the following mixture:

1/4 cup caster sugar + 1/2 cup lemon juice...put both ingredients in a small pot and boil rapidly for 2-3 minutes.

Spoon warm lemon syrup over the loaf.  Allow to cool and absorb before turning out to cool completely.

**Please note, you don't have to add the pecans if you don't want to...which I didn't last time I made it (the pic of the loaf above is completely pecan-less and still tasted delicious)