Pink Lemonade Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan with a parchment sling, then spray the parchment and the inside ends of the pan with nonstick spray. 

To make the cake: In a medium bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the sugar and zest together with your (clean!) fingertips until the mixture smells lemony and resembles damp sand.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine with the sugar mixture. Set aside.  

In a separate small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the water, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a flexible spatula to combine. It's OK if a few small lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 45 to 48 minutes, until the top looks set, the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift it out of the pan. Set it on the wire rack, upside-down, and peel off the parchment.

To make the soak: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and sugar and whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. Use a pastry brush to brush the soak all over the bottom and sides of the cake. (Brushing the soak onto the bottom, as opposed to the crusty top, allows more of it to be absorbed.) Let the cake cool completely, about an hour.  

While the cake cools, make the glaze: Place the raspberries in a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Using a flexible spatula or the back of a spoon, smash and press the berries through the strainer to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the seeds left behind in the strainer.  

Gradually mix 1 cup (113g) of the confectioners’ sugar into the raspberry juice, stirring until smooth. Slowly add the remaining confectioners’ sugar as needed until the glaze has a thick but pourable consistency, like honey. (When you drizzle it back into the bowl, the lines should hold for at least a few seconds.) Whisk in the vanilla and salt. 

Turn the cake right-side-up on the wire rack and set the rack onto a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cake. Spread it all the way to the edges so that some glaze drips down the sides; an offset spatula is a helpful tool here. Set aside to allow the glaze to set, at least 30 minutes. To serve, cut the lemonade cake into slices and garnish with a few fresh raspberries. 

Storage information: This Pink Lemonade Cake will keep covered, at room temperature, for several days.