Lemon Tea Bread

Lemony Glaze (see below) 1/3 cup butter melted * 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons lemon extract 1/2 cup milk * 2 eggs * 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Lemony Glaze 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup sugar

Prepare lemony glaze and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon extract until fluffy. Add eggs, beating until mixture is blended. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Pour 1/3 of the flour into the egg mixture. Add 1/3 of the milk. Stir until blended. Continue adding flour and milk alternately until all is blended. Do not overmix. Fold in lemon peel and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake one hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove bread from oven and immediately pour lemony glaze slowly over the top. Let stand 15 - 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool. May be frozen.

Before serving bread bring to room temperature. Cut in thin slices. (This is easy to do, since this stuff is pretty dense and moist). Serve with butter, or lemon curd or clotted cream. (I like it best with lemon curd).

Variation:

Bake it in smaller loaf pans for finger-food sized slices for parties.

* For Vegans:

Margarine works well in this. I have never tried it with egg substitutes or dairy milk substitutes, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. The texture might be different, but I think it would still taste good. (I doubt that it would be much more dense than the original version).

Notes: This has been a huge success everywhere it has showed up. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan.