Lemon Tea Cake from "Simply Whidbey"

I enjoy reading cookbooks. While browsing second-hand books I found "Simply Whidbey" by Laura Moore and Deborah Skinner. It is an interesting cookbook that includes recipes gathered from local innkeepers, cooks, and island residents of Whidbey Isand, Washington.

Whidbey Island is beautiful ~ rolling farmlands in the north and heavily timbered forests in the south, dotted with communities like Oak Harbor, Penn Cove and Coupeville.

The ladies collected recipes featuring salmon pate, smoked salmon, salmon antipasto and entrees for the Lazy Day Picnic at Concerts on the Cove in Coupeville. "Red Beans and Rice" was featured at a Dixieland Jazz Festival.There is Dungeness Crab with Butters and Lemon Mayonnaise Sauce, Stuffed Olympic Oysters...and Tutmas Armenian Yogurt Soup (now, that one sounds like Mediterranean fare, my favorite! I know just the bread that would go well with it.)

However, I stopped browsing when I found Beach House Lemon Tea Bread. It looked so refreshing and light. I had to try it.

Simple Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter or oil

1 cup sugar

3 Tbs lemon extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 sts salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 Tbs grated lemon rind

(1/2 cup chopped pecans optional)

I placed the batter in a small bundt pan, sprayed with olive oil.Then baked the cake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. I made a lemon glaze, and drizzled it over the top.

Toppings and accompaniments can vary ~ can be used as a shortcake, with strawberries, and other fruits. I always like a spoonful of fresh plain yogurt and a sprinkle of nutmeg.