Sweet Lemon Bread by Kathy Facione

1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C softened butter or margarine
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs
3/4 C milk
2 Tlb. lemon juice
1 lemon's rind, grated
3/4 C blanched almonds, chopped

Topping:
1/4 C sugar
Juice of one large lemon

Bread:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9x5x3 loaf pan. In bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together: set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream butter/margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one by one. In 3 equal batches, alternately add dry ingredients and milk. Stir in 2 Tlb. lemon juice and rind. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly with rubber spatula. Bake 1 hour and test for doneness. (During last 15 minutes, cover loosely with aluminum foil, if necessary to prevent bread from becoming too brown).

Meanwhile, in bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and juice of 1 lemon, stirring with fork until sugar is dissolved.

Leave bread in pan and place on wire cooling rack. Make tiny holes in top of bread with toothpick. Pour lemon/sugar mixture slowly across top, giving time for topping to be absorbed into warm loaf. Allow 15 minutes to set. Remove bread from pan and finish cooling on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.