The Baked Bite: Tartine Almond-Lemon Teacake

Happy New Year! Let’s all hope that 2021 is better than 2020.

A little while ago, my brother’s girlfriend asked me which San Francisco bakery she should go to if she could only try one during her visit. “Tartine,” I immediately responded, “and make sure to get the almond-lemon teacake, morning bun, croissant, and a loaf of bread”. I do not remember the first time I ever tried Tartine, but I do remember the first time I ever had this teacake. It immediately transported me back to my childhood, when my Mom used to allow me and my brother to have lemon cake for breakfast. Whenever I have a slice of this loaf from Tartine, I feel like a kid again. I always cut the sugary edges off and eat them first, before diving into the spongey, delicious middle.

I finally decided to try to find the recipe for the cake, expecting it might require me to purchase the Tartine Cookbook. Luckily, however, this recipe was one of the few that was published in newspapers surrounding the 2006 release of the original Tartine cookbook. Although it took me a few tries to get the recipe just right (see my tips below), I eventually succeeded in baking a loaf that was just like what I usually buy from the bakery. If you’ve ever had this loaf from Tartine, or if you just loaf a lemony quick bread, I highly recommend trying this recipe.

A word to the wise, however - this recipe is not simple. It’s best to try if you are at least an intermediate baker.

The Recipe: Tartine Almond-Lemon Teacake via the LA Times

If you do try this recipe, here are a few extra pointers:

First, it is ESSENTIAL to flour and butter your loaf pan properly. Take a stick of softened butter and rub it on a paper towel. Rub the paper towel all over the pan, getting into all the nooks and crannies. Take a few tablespoons of flour and drop them into the loaf pan, and then tilt the pan around until the flour covers all the surface on the inside of the loaf pan. You could even cut out a parchment sheet that fits the bottom of the pan and press it into the bottom.

Second, if you prefer a lemon poppyseed loaf, you can mix in two tablespoons of poppyseeds when you add the citrus zests.

Third, I recommend letting the loaf cool for between 10-15 minutes, rather than just 5-7 minutes, before you try to remove it from the pan. Make sure you do not wait too long, however, because the loaf needs to be warm to properly absorb all the glaze. When you are ready, use a sharp knife to cut around the edges of the loaf to make sure the loaf is separated from the sides.

Finally, after you have applied the glaze and the loaf has fully cooled, dust the entire outside with powdered sugar if you want an extra touch of sweetness.

A box of Tartine pastries - lemon loaf pictured with a bite out of it in the back!