Recipe: Cupcake Cafe Pecan Harvest Loaf with Lemon Glaze (quick bread)

PECAN HARVEST LOAF
WITH LEMON GLAZE

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups toasted pecans, coarsely ground
5 ounces butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon strong brewed coffee
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)

Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the ground pecans and mix well. Cream the butter and sugars and add the egg yolks, milk, coffee, and vanilla.

Beat the egg whites till stiff but not dry. Add the flour and pecans to the wet ingredients. When just combined, fold in the egg whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until done. (Insert a straw or cake tester into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it's done, or if loaf has a springy feel when you press on it.) Allow to cool slightly, then glaze with Lemon Glaze.

LEMON GLAZE
Makes 1 3/4 cups glaze, enough for 1 Pecan Harvest Loaf

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes, until transparent. Test to see if the syrup forms a "string" when dropped from a spoon. When it does, take it off the heat and spoon it over the slightly cooled pecan harvest loaf.

Makes about 1 loaf
Source: Cupcake Cafe Cookbook by Ann Warren and Joan Lilly