Ahh, the thrill of the hunt.

I was strolling through Palmer’s Thrift Store this past week, as I often do, when I spotted something that immediately intrigued me. On the shelf in the crowded cooking section sat a very cute and very interesting piece of bakeware.

Though I’m a frequent Palmer’s shopper, it’s rare that something in the cookware section makes me consider clearing space in my already overflowing kitchen. But lo and behold, there it sat. Decorated with graceful citrus motifs and priced at a mere $4.95, it was the Nordic Ware Citrus Blossom Loaf Pan.

I’ve long been a fan of Nordic Ware’s delightfully inventive bakeware. From Bundt pans shaped like castles to cookie molds shaped like butterflies, they make everything imaginable for every party, person and theme. And while summer and the season of citrus may have officially slipped past us, I wasn’t about to pass up the chance to bake with this cheerful pan immediately.

I grabbed the pan, which was in perfect, unused condition, and practically skipped to the check out.

Naturally, as soon as I left the Palmer’s parking lot, I headed to Kroger to find the ingredients for the lemon-lime loaf cake I knew I’d be baking that very same day.

If you’re worried about the loaf sticking to the pan, you’re just like me. But don’t fret! I did some research, and the key to getting your loaf to release flawlessly is to brush the inside of the pan with unsalted solid vegetable shortening or butter, then dust it with flour. You can also use vegetable oil or nonstick baking spray. (If using canned spray, check to make sure it doesn’t contain lecithin, which can cause a gummy residue.) Then, turn the pan upside down and tap to remove any excess flour.

These steps will help ensure an easy release and excellent pattern definition – which is, after all, the whole point of this bake.

This method worked perfectly for me, and I was left with a golden-brown cake – one of the best I’ve ever made, according to my husband, Austin.

So if you bake this cake, I hope it brings as much delight to your kitchen as it did to ours. Happy thrifting and happy baking!

LEMON LIME LOAF CAKE

Ingredients:
Loaf Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp lemon extract

Citrus Syrup
1/3 cup lime or lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
■ Preheat oven to 325°F.
■ Prepare Citrus Blossom Loaf Pan with shortening and flour or baking spray containing flour.
■ In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
■ Using a mixer, combine sugar and melted butter. Then add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add lime juice and buttermilk. Slowly add flour mixture and lemon extract and mix until batter is smooth.
■ Pour into prepared pan and gently tap on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. Cool cake for 10 minutes in pan and invert onto a cooling rack.
■ To make citrus syrup, combine juice and sugar in a small saucepan.
■ Cook on medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and continue cooking and stirring for 3 minutes. Pour or brush syrup onto cake while still warm before serving. You can also poke holes into the cake and carefully pour syrup.

Optional: serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired!