Heat oven to 350ยบ - grease loaf pans and line them with parchment for easy removal.
Mix together dry ingredients:
5-2/3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
In a mixing bowl, mix together thoroughly:
2 cups sour cream (a 16 oz. container)
2-2/3 cups white sugar
5 large eggs
2 Tblsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
After the 'wet' ingredients are mixed well, fold in the dry ingredients.
Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 50 minutes (test with toothpick to make sure centers are entirely baked), being careful not to OVERbake. The larger loaves will probably take a little longer.
WHILE the cakes are baking, about 10 minutes before they're about to come out of the oven, make a simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice with 1/2 cup sugar. Over medium heat, stir until VERY hot and sugar melts (doesn't need to boil!) . Remove from heat.
Remove loaf pans from oven and cool on racks for a few minutes before removing the loaves to cooling racks. Place the cooling rack (w/cakes on it) onto a large cookie sheet and slowly & evenly, pour the simple syrup over the baked loaves. Let them cool for a 15-20 minutes.
LEMON GLAZE: In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 Tblsp. soft butter with 3 cups powdered sugar... slowly stream in several tblsp. fresh lemon juice and stir until thin enough (don't make it TOO thin!!) to drizzle over lemon loaves.
