Raspberry Lemon Loaf

Lemon and raspberry have one of those suspiciously competent partnerships where each ingredient makes the other look better. Lemon zest and juice sharpen the buttery loaf, raspberries bring tart little pockets of fruit, and sour cream keeps the crumb tender enough that it reads as cake without becoming heavy. The final lemon glaze is not there to cover mistakes; it adds another bright layer after the loaf has cooled.

There are two places where restraint matters. First, fold the flour in only until the batter comes together. Second, coat the raspberries in a little flour and fold them gently so they stay suspended instead of staging a mass migration to the bottom of the pan. Fresh berries are delicate, and attacking them with a mixer is a quick way to turn a raspberry loaf into a pink crime scene. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then let the loaf cool completely before glazing. Warm cake plus powdered-sugar glaze sounds romantic until the glaze slides off the sides and pools underneath like it has somewhere else to be. Cool first, drizzle second, slice third.