Based on a recipe by Nick Malgieri in How To Bake (HarperCollins, 1995. 1st ed.)
1/2 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
zest and juice from 1 Meyer lemon
1/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cake flour
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a standing mixer with whisk attachment. Add three of the eggs, one at a time so they are totally incorporated (don't overmix, though). Add salt, juice and zest of the lemon.
In a separate bowl combine remaining egg with milk.
In a third bowl, stir baking powder into flour and mix well with a fork. Starting with the flour mixture, beat flour mixture and milk-egg mixture to the butter mixture.
Fill a well-greased and floured loaf pan almost to the top, but don't overfill. You might have a little left over. Bake cake on a rack set in the middle of your oven. Bake until it has risen and turned a lovely golden color on top. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
Cool on a rack in the pan. Unmold and let it cool completely before adding anything to it-I usually let it go all afternoon.
This freezes really well, and is nice without any extra toppings or glaze at all. Of course, it's smashing with just about anything on top, too.
