Lemon Strawberry Loaf Cake

adapted from Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Preheat oven: 350° F.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste.)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups plus additional for dusting the pan and 2 Tbsp for the berries

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup diced strawberries

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add in the vanilla.

Combine the fresh squeezed lemon juice and the buttermilk. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Alternately, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the batter, combining after each. Continue until both are combined with the batter.

Shake the diced strawberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour until well coated. Gently fold the strawberries into the batter.

Spoon the batter into a well greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for 20 minutes. Invert on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Prepare your glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice to the consistency and flavor that you like. (This can be over-powering...taste as you add the lemon juice...add additional powdered sugar as desired.) I added additional powdered sugar as well as 2 Tbsp of milk.

Spread the glaze on top of the cooled cake. Garnish with additional strawberries.