RECIPE TEST: STARBUCKS COPYCAT LEMON LOAF CAKE, not my recipe but so good!

​I came across this recipe on line and thought it was not going to be as good as the store bought. So, since it sounded kind of interesting, I decided to test it at home to decide if this cake was as good as the real thing. Well, I was impressed, it’s the closest that you can make without having the store’s original recipe, smile. I will be making this cake again, I love it, it goes perfect with a nice cup of coffee or as a stand-alone dessert. Who would have thought?
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: The whole process is about an hour.
Approximate Cost: $9.95 or .99 cents a slice
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 9 to 10 slices
 
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (.67)
1 cup sugar (.50)
1 tsp. vanilla extract ($2.00)
1 tsp. lemon extract (.20)
3 eggs room temperature (.48)
Zest of 1-2 lemons (.20)
1/3 cup lemon juice ($1.00)
1 1/2 cups flour ($1.25)
1/2 tsp. baking soda (.15)
1 tsp. baking powder (.15)
1/2 tsp. salt (.10)
1/2 cup oil ($1.25)
 
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar ($1.00)
2 tbsp. milk (.20)
1 tbsp. lemon juice (.35)
1 tsp. lemon extract (.20)

Simple Syrup
 ½ cup granulated sugar (.25)
 ¼ cup reserved lemon juice
 ¼ cup water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat well to combine (mixture will be fairly dry).
Add in eggs and beat until well combined. Add vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on low until just starting to combine, then add in oil, and continue mixing until well combined, but do not over mix.
5. Pour batter into a 9x5 loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Make the simple syrup. In a small saucepan, whisk together the simple syrup ingredients over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Poke holes in the cake loaf with a toothpick. Pour syrup over the cake. Remove from pan carefully, plate it and allow it to cool.
9. Combine icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If a thinner icing is desired, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time.
10. Remove loaf from pan and pour or spoon glaze over the top. Allow icing to set up for 20+ minutes, then slice and serve.
 
NOTE: I decided to use cake flour instead of all-purpose, as well as peanut oil.